Despite his fading popularity, Abe told the party gathering he was committed to changing the constitution.

The current document was imposed by the United States on the defeated nation after World War Two. Abe said he wants to end the debate over the constitutionality of Japan's military, officially known as the Self-Defense Forces. The constitution says Japan renounces war and will not maintain land, sea or air forces. However, in 2015 Abe expanded the role of the Japanese forces to include the defense of friendly nations. Abe also on last May proposed adding a reference to the SDF to clarify its ambiguous status. Critics worry the revision would open the way to a bigger role for the Japanese military overseas.