Japan scraps ban on lethal weapons exports in major shift of pacifist policy

Key Points

• Japan’s cabinet has approved a new guideline that ends its post-World War II ban on lethal weapons exports, allowing sales of fighter jets, missiles, and destroyers.
• Exports will be limited to 17 nations with defense agreements with Japan and require National Security Council approval, with government monitoring of weapon use.
• The policy shift is part of Japan’s effort to build up its arms industry and deepen cooperation with allies like Australia, while critics warn it could heighten global tensions.
• Japan will not, in principle, export lethal weapons to countries currently at war, maintaining a key restriction despite the broader policy change.

Full Details

Japan’s cabinet, led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, has approved a new guideline that scraps the post-World War II ban on lethal weapons exports, marking a major shift from its pacifist constitution. The policy lifts previous restrictions that limited sales to non-lethal items such as rescue equipment and allows the export of fighter jets, missiles, destroyers, and other combat systems. Exports will be confined to the 17 nations that have signed defense equipment and technology-transfer agreements with Japan and must receive National Security Council approval, after which the government will monitor how the weapons are used. In principle, Japan still will not sell lethal weapons to countries currently at war. The change is framed as part of a broader effort to build up Japan’s arms industry and deepen cooperation with allies such as Australia, while critics, particularly China, warn it undermines Japan’s pacifist stance and could heighten global tensions.