The constitution was imposed on Japan by the allies after the Second World War. So, it focuses on the Japanese aggression during the war and the preamble itself has heavy emphasis on peaceful coexistence with the nations of the world. Since the constitution was written by the US led alliance, it frequently talks about the world at large and tries to vaguely fit the role of Japan in the established world order.

In the first paragraph, it talks about the establishment of democracy through the creation of a National Diet of elected representatives. One of the very first examples of imposition of democratic order of governance by the US led alliance that was later the headline for many of the actions of the US during the Cold war and later period. The next line talks about the peaceful coexistence with the rest of the world and principles of liberty in Japan. Further, it blames the government at the time of war for taking Japan into the war against the wishes of the people and justifies the establishment of democracy by talking about the supremacy of people (elected representatives) in the governance. At the same time it revokes all other documents conflicting with the principles established in this constitution which means it effectively revokes all the previous mechanisms of governance in Japan.

The second paragraph mentions the basis which further leads to Japan being unable to have a standing army. The clever wording mentions desire for peace, high ideals controlling human relationship and determination to preserve security and existence by “trusting” the people of the world. This indirectly means that the people around the world will ensure safety of Japanese people and that Japan does not need any standing army. Furthermore, it reminds the Japanese people of their aggression during WWII by mentioning the right of the people around the world to live in peace and free from fear (of supposed Japanese aggression) and want.

The third and fourth paragraph again talk about political morality and the need for peaceful relationship between sovereign nations and the pledge by the Japanese people to uphold these “high ideals” mentioned in the preamble.