Japan has relaxed decades-old restrictions on its arms exports, clearing the way for it to sell weapons to more than a dozen countries. The announcement on Tuesday marks a milestone in Tokyo's shift away from the pacifism that has characterised its post-war defence policy. It also comes at a time of heightened tensions in the region.
Restrictions that limit arms exports to just five categories - rescue, transport, warning, surveillance and minesweeping - will be lifted. This means Japan can now sell lethal weapons to the 17 countries with whom it has defence agreements, including the US and the UK.
A ban on arms sales to countries involved in conflict will stay. But authorities say they will allow for exceptions in special circumstances. In an increasingly severe security environment, no single country can now protect its own peace and security alone, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi wrote on X on Tuesday.
However, she also said there was absolutely no change in our commitment to upholding the path and fundamental principles we have followed as a peace-loving nation for over 80 years since the war. Under the new system, we will strategically promote equipment transfers while making even more rigorous and cautious judgments on whether transfers are permissible, she wrote.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said in a press briefing that the move was intended to safeguard Japan's security and further contribute to the peace and stability of the region. China has said it is seriously concerned about what it described as Japan's reckless militarisation.
China will remain highly vigilant and resolutely opposed to the move, Beijing's foreign ministry stated. The new arms export rules were announced as Japan's Self-Defence Forces took part in annual war games between the US and the Philippines, marking Japan's first involvement as combat participants instead of mere observers.
Japan's defence posture was written into its post-World War Two constitution in 1947, renouncing war as a way to settle international disputes. For decades, pacifism has become part of Japan's identity, but that mindset has been shifting gradually.
In 2014, then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe relaxed a blanket ban on all military sales. In 2023, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida allowed exports of finished lethal weapons for the first time since World War Two. Takaichi's supporters argue that Japan needs to adapt to a new reality, surrounded by China, Russia, and North Korea.
However, critics worry that these changes may draw Japan into military conflicts and erode its long-standing commitment to pacifism.
