Takaichi Expected to Express Desire for Constitutional Revision Proposal During Policy Speech

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:24 JST, February 19, 2026

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi plans to express her desire for the Diet to formally propose constitutional amendments during her policy speech to both houses on Friday.

Takaichi, who is president of the Liberal Democratic Party, also intends to push for constructive discussions between the ruling and opposition parties in the commissions on the Constitution of both chambers of the Diet. The ruling parties also aim to advance discussions on the revision of the Imperial House Law in the current Diet session, which Takaichi strongly desires.

At a joint meeting of LDP members from both houses on Wednesday, Takaichi called on lawmakers to “resolutely take on the challenges of constitutional revision and the amendment of the Imperial House Law.”

In 2018, the LDP compiled draft articles for constitutional amendments covering four areas: clarifying the legal status of the Self-Defense Forces, emergency response measures, abolishing combined constituencies for House of Councillors elections and enhancing education. Emergency response is expected to be a focal point in upcoming commission debates. A key pillar of the proposal is enabling the extension of Diet members’ terms when national elections cannot be held due to major disasters.

During deliberations at the House of Representatives’ Commission on the Constitution in 2023, five political groups, including the LDP, the Japan Innovation Party, Komeito and the Democratic Party for the People, agreed on the necessity of extending lawmakers’ terms. Furthermore, in last year’s coalition agreement the LDP and JIP explicitly stated their goal of submitting a bill on constitutional amendments to the Diet within fiscal 2026.

The coalition agreement also prioritizes a plan to allow male descendants in the male line of former imperial branches to be adopted into the Imperial family to ensure stable imperial succession. It sets a target for revising the Imperial House Law in 2026.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Takaichi said: “These are urgent issues concerning the foundation of the nation that cannot be postponed. We will move forward promptly following deliberations in the Diet.”