An overwhelming majority in Japan think their country should make preparations for a Chinese military assault on Taiwan, according to a poll released by Nikkei Asia on Monday.
That view is shared by more than 90% of respondents to a survey conducted between May 27 and 29.
A minority of 41% believe Japanese laws should be revised to respond to a possible conflict in the region, while 50% think preparations should be carried out in line with existing laws.
Some 56% of the 935 respondents said they support the government’s proposal to boost the defense budget to 1% of GDP.
Article 9 of Japan’s constitution, passed after World War II, stipulates that its people “forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes.”