The Constitution, Human Rights and Pluralism in Japan: Alternative Visions of Constitutions Past and Future

Recent moves by the Abe administration to change the Japanese constitution may result in the most fundamental change to Japanese political life since the 1940s. Although there has been widespread debate on the possible revision of Article 9 - the constitution's Peace Clause - other profound implications of the push for constitutional change have received scant attention. This special issue edited by Tessa Morris-Suzuki and Shinnosuke Takahashi aims to take a broad view of constitutional debates in Japan today by posing two key questions: "What is the purpose of the constitution?" and "What does the constitution mean for a culturally plural and diverse society?".