TOKYO (AP) — Japan on Tuesday endorsed scrapping a ban on lethal weapons exports, a major change of its postwar pacifist policy as the country seeks to build up its arms industry and deepen cooperation with defense partners.
The approval by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Cabinet of the new guideline clears a final set of hurdles for Japan’s postwar arms sales.
The move comes as the country accelerates its military buildup in the face of growing security
challenges in the region. While the change of policy met with China’s criticism, it has been largely welcomed by Japan’s defense partners like Australia and attracted interests from Southeast Asia and Europe.
Opponents say the change violates Japan’s pacifist constitution and will increase global tensions and threaten the safety of the Japanese people.
Japan long prohibited most arms exports under its post-World War II pacifist constitution. It has made recent changes due to rising global and regional tensions, but exports were limited to five areas: rescue, transport, alert, surveillance and minesweeping.
The new guideline scraps those limits and allows the export of equipment such as fighter jets, missiles and destroyers — a major change from existing exports such as flak jackets, gas masks and civilian-use vehicles Japan has sent to Ukraine and intelligence radar sold to the Philippines.
