Japan Leverages Changes in Security Environment to Lift Arms Sales Ban

Tokyo, April 22 (Jiji Press)--Japan's administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took advantage of what Takaichi sees as "the most complicated, severest security environment in the post-World War II period" to give the go-ahead for the country's arms exports.

Previous administrations maintained a ban on exports of weapons, such as tanks and fighter planes, under the three principles of overseas defense equipment transfer. But the Takaichi government has significantly eased arms sale rules against the Japanese Constitution's pacifist ideology, critics said.

Explaining the major shift in the postwar national security policy, a senior Defense Ministry official said Japan can use weapons exports as "a key tool to build trust" with like-minded countries.

"Cooperation with like-minded countries is becoming more important" as China, North Korea and Russia are stepping up coercive actions around Japan while U.S. President Donald Trump is attaching less importance to allies, the official noted.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said the changes to the defense equipment transfer principles and operational guidelines "will help our ally (the United States) and like-minded countries strengthen their deterrence and response capabilities and will also enable Japanese companies to acquire higher production potential."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]