Slow Progress on Fighter Jet Export

The leading coalition of Japan, Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, failed in reaching an agreement on exporting defense equipment including fighter jet by the end of February. While the government of Japan required both parties to reach a deal by the end of last month, Komeito was very careful to pave the way for exporting fighter jet to the third party out of the framework of joint development. Komeito seems to be keen on appealing its uniqueness as a peaceful party to the voters.

Japan has long been embracing its Three Principles on Arms Exports of 1967, which prohibited arms exports to communist countries, countries subject to embargo under United Nations Security Council’s resolutions, and countries in international conflicts. Shinzo Abe administration abolished those principles in 2014 and brought other three principles on transfer of defense equipment and technology. They prohibited to transfer violating obligations under treaties, violating obligations under UNSC resolutions, and destined for a country party to a conflict.

 

Japanese government announced joint project of developing next generation fighter jet with United Kingdom and Italy in December 2022. According to the Three Pinciples on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology, Japan cannot export the products of joint project to the third parties. Nevertheless, the working team of LDP and Komeito agreed on exporting those products to the third parties by changing the principles in July 2023.

 

It was last November when Komeito changed the attitude and demanded further deliberation on the issue. While the government requested both parties to conclude their discussion by the end of February, because negotiation over the fighter jets among three countries was supposed to start in March. To accelerate the interparty discussion, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed with Chief Representative of Komeito, Natsuo Yamaguchi, in February that the issue should be discussed at the level of Chairman of Policy Research Council.

 

Komeito argued that they had not realized the export to the third parties at the time when Japan decided to join the joint project in December 2022. Recognizing that the people in Japan has not fully understood the necessity of exporting fighter jet to the third parties, Komeito demands LDP, namely Kishida, to explain more about the importance of exporting defense equipment in the context of security of Japan.

 

Government of Japan expects that the exporting to the third parties will cover the huge cost for developing new generation fighter jets. It also supposes that Japan’s involvement in developing defense equipment will contribute to regional stability. However, Komeito seems to be afraid of sending negative message to the voters that the party is willing to be involved in the conflicts in the world, as seen in Ukraine or Palestine.

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