Unleashing Export of Weapons

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) approved a draft of its proposal to the government for deregulation on exporting defense equipment on February 20th. The ruling party approved exporting not only defense equipment but “weapons” to foreign countries, including one directly involved in a war. Although Japan has been taking distance from international military conflict with requirement of its constitution that prohibit war, Sanae Takaichi administration is unleashing the country from pacifist principle. 

Japan upheld three principles on exporting “weapons” in 1967, which prohibited export of weapons to a country in communist bloc, to one banned by resolution of the United Nations, and to one in international conflict. Former prime minister Shinzo Abe renewed the principles into three principles for transfer of “defense equipment” in 2014, which laid out conditions on export of defense equipment. They were exporting not to a country involved in international conflict, with strict examination in light to Japan’s national interest, and agreement with Japan in advance.

 

Takaichi is planning to remove those restrictions. It has been discussed that five limitations for export – rescue, transport, warning, surveillance and mine-sweeping in the sea – should be abolished. Based on those five conditions, Japan refrained from providing Ukraine with lethal equipment. It supported Zelenskyy government only with protective gears such as helmets or bullet-proof jackets.

 

The LDP proposes revision of a guideline to enable the government exporting defense equipment unlimitedly and weapons developed in an international project. Japan has exceptionally been allowing exporting fighter jets that were produced in a joint project with the United Kingdoma and Italy. New guideline will enable every kind of weapon in an international joint project, and allow transferring them to the third parties.

 

While some countries, including the United States, require the government an approval from the congress on exporting weapons in advance, Japan is going to make it possible only with permission of the Diet after they had been exported. It will be possible for the government to export any weapons without endorsement of the parliament in a discretional manner. The export will not demand even a cabinet decision, which needs approval of all the ministers.

 

 

The draft recommends the government to have an agreement from the destination of the exported weapons, to limit its military support for like-minded countries. However, it is not easy to distinguish a friend from enemies. Exporting lethal weapon will not only encouraging international conflict, rather than terminating it, but let the enemy target Japan as a supporter of its adversary.

 

Takaichi promotes trade of weapons in the context of economic growth. She upholds “crisis management investment” as her core economic policy. This prime minister does not seem to be interested in maintaining traditional principles that has been defining Japan as a pacifist nation.

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