In January 2013, Naomi Takasu from Zama, Kanagawa emailed the Norwegian Nobel Committee to promote Article 9 as a means to protect children.
She tried to get Article 9 itself nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, but since she didn't have the time to organise protests, she campaigned from home, by email.
Joined by other people from Zama and from Sagamihara, she formed the "Organizing Committee for the Nobel Peace Prize for Article 9 of the Constitution.
[5] Notable members include Yōichi Komori, professor at the University of Tokyo and leader of the group Kyujo no Kai ("Association of Article 9").
The speculation about their chances was fueled when Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo, who each year announces his shortlist of favourites for the prize, named the group as his top for 2014 in his revised list, posted 3 October 2014.