Proposed Japanese constitutional referendum

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}

Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution Referendum is a referendum that was expected to take place in 2020. In May 2017, then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe set a 2020 deadline for revising Article 9, which would legitimize the Japan Self-Defense Forces in the Japanese constitution.{{Cite web |last=Tatsumi |first=Yuki |date=2017-05-05 |title=Abe's New Vision for Japan's Constitution |url=https://thediplomat.com/2017/05/abes-new-vision-for-japans-constitution/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121021422/https://thediplomat.com/2017/05/abes-new-vision-for-japans-constitution/ |archive-date=21 November 2018 |access-date=18 May 2017 |website=The Diplomat}}{{Cite web |last=Osaki |first=Tomohiro |last2=Kikuchi |first2=Daisuke |date=3 May 2017 |title=Abe declares 2020 as goal for new Constitution |url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/05/03/national/politics-diplomacy/abe-declares-2020-goal-new-constitution/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302095136/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/05/03/national/politics-diplomacy/abe-declares-2020-goal-new-constitution/ |archive-date=2 March 2019 |access-date=18 May 2017 |website=The Japan Times}}{{Cite news |date=3 May 2017 |title=Japan's Abe hopes for reform of pacifist charter by 2020 |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-government-constitution-idUSKBN17Z0BH |url-status=live |access-date=18 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190103161631/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-government-constitution-idUSKBN17Z0BH |archive-date=3 January 2019}}{{Cite web |date=2017-05-03 |title=Japan PM unveils plan to amend Constitution, put into force in 2020 |url=http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/Policy-Politics/Japan-PM-unveils-plan-to-amend-Constitution-put-into-force-in-2020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170503085859/http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/Policy-Politics/Japan-PM-unveils-plan-to-amend-Constitution-put-into-force-in-2020 |archive-date=2017-05-03 |access-date=2018-03-13 |website=Nikkei Asian Review}} Abe and his Cabinet resigned in September 2020, due to Abe's health problems.{{Cite news |date=16 September 2020 |title=Japan's prime minister steps down |work=Politico |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/16/japan-resigns-shinzo-abe-415815 |url-status=live |access-date=31 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031083353/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/16/japan-resigns-shinzo-abe-415815 |archive-date=31 October 2020}} Under his successor Yoshihide Suga, parliament revised referendum law in June 2021 to make it easier to vote by allowing temporary voting station. The move was considered as a step toward the possibility of the constitutional referendum taking place.{{Cite web |date=2021-06-11 |title=Japan enacts revised referendum law in constitutional amendment push |url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/06/dc855d516e11-japan-enacts-revised-referendum-law-in-constitutional-amendment-push.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230716081850/https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/06/dc855d516e11-japan-enacts-revised-referendum-law-in-constitutional-amendment-push.html |archive-date=2023-07-16 |website=Kyodo News}} Kishida renewed calls for the referendum in May 2023.{{Cite web |last=Otani |first=Jiro |date=5 May 2023 |title=Kishida: Constitutional Reform Referendum Should Happen 'As Soon as Possible' |url=https://japan-forward.com/kishida-constitutional-reform-referendum-should-happen-as-soon-as-possible/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230716082052/https://japan-forward.com/kishida-constitutional-reform-referendum-should-happen-as-soon-as-possible/ |archive-date=2023-07-16 |website=Japan Forward}}