Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday instructed his ruling party to accelerate discussions on the contentious issue of stipulating the Self-Defense Forces in the war-renouncing Article 9 of Japan's postwar Constitution.

At a meeting on constitutional reform, Kishida said the Liberal Democratic Party should organize the points of the issue, aiming for completion by the end of August.

Kishida's instruction indicated his willingness to garner support from conservative members within the party who have called for progress in discussions on constitutional amendments ahead of the LDP leadership race scheduled for next month, political pundits said.

With the LDP marking the 70th anniversary of its founding in 2025, Kishida said during the gathering, "As the party president, I am asking you to advance discussions on constitutional reform, which is the party's policy, as we approach this significant milestone."

Japan's Constitution, drafted by U.S.-led occupation forces after World War II, has remained unchanged since it took effect in 1947, with no formal amendment process ever initiated, partly due to the high hurdle for proposals in parliament.

Kishida, known as a dovish moderate, said the role of the SDF is "most important for the state" as they "protect the lives of the people at all times," adding that their existence should be "clearly stipulated in the supreme law of this country."

The LDP, which has been in power for most of the time since 1955, has stated its goal of revising the Constitution, which some conservatives within the party view as a humiliating "imposition" by the United States following Japan's surrender.

The general public and left-leaning opposition parties, however, have been divided over changing Article 9, as many believe it has brought peace to Japan, enabling the Asian nation to avoid involvement in conflicts over the past seven decades.

Kishida, who took office in October 2021, pledged to achieve constitutional reform during his tenure as LDP president, saying the supreme law should be amended "in response to the demands of the times."

But he decided not to submit a draft constitutional reform to this year's ordinary parliamentary session that ended in June, as his ruling party was rattled by a slush funds scandal that has crucially undermined public trust in politics.

The 1947 Constitution, created in response to Japan's wartime military aggression, renounces war and bans the possession of military forces and other "war potential" in Article 9.

The LDP hopes to add an explicit reference to the SDF into the Constitution to leave no room for the argument that having armed organizations, even for self-defense, violates the pacifist charter.