Ruling parties agree Japan can export defense equipment with weapons

Japan's ruling parties agreed Wednesday that the nation can export non-combat cars and vessels equipped with lethal weapons, despite its strict restrictions on overseas shipments of weapons. A report compiled by lawmakers of the Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito, however, said they remain divided on the permissibility of Japan exporting fighter jets jointly developed with other countries to third nations. Itsunori Onodera, a former defense minister who heads the working group of the two parties on the issue, said at a press conference that the ruling bloc will r...