In its 2012 draft proposal, the LDP recommended making the emperor the head of state instead of his current position as symbol of the state and to define the self-defense forces as defense forces, in addition to its call for exercising the right to collective self-defense.

There has been scant in-depth debate on this issue in Japan. Abe seems to be deliberately shunning debate on the sensitive topic out of political calculation even though he is a staunch advocate of constitutional amendments. For a better chance of victory for his party in Sunday's election, he has focused the campaign on his economic policies, known as "Abenomics".

"If he wants to make the self-defense forces a full-fledged military machine to defend the nation and enable Japan to exercise its right to collective self-defense, why doesn't he seek honest and meaningful debate over the war-renouncing Article 9 with the opposition camp?" Japan's leading newspaper Asahi Shimbun asked.

Contact the writer at caihong@chinadaily.com.cn