Japan has formally ended its postwar ban on exporting lethal weapons, marking a decisive break from seven decades of pacifist restraint in defense policy.
The decision, approved by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Cabinet on Tuesday, clears the final bureaucratic hurdles for Japan to sell fighter jets, missiles, and warships abroad — equipment previously barred under interpretations of its pacifist constitution.
For years, Japan’s arms exports were confined to non-lethal gear like flak jackets, gas masks, and surveillance radar, even as it supplied such items to Ukraine and sold intelligence systems to the Philippines.
The new guideline removes those categorical limits, though it maintains a de facto restriction: exports will only go to 17 nations with existing defense technology agreements, and each sale must win approval from Japan’s National Security Council.
Critics, including Beijing, argue the shift violates Japan’s pacifist constitution and risks fueling regional arms races, while officials insist the move is defensive — designed to strengthen alliances and bolster Japan’s own defense industrial base amid rising tensions with China and North Korea.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara framed the change as a stabilizing force, telling reporters the policy will “ensure safety for Japan and further contribute to peace and stability in the region” as security conditions deteriorate.
The government insists it will not sell weapons to countries actively engaged in war, a boundary meant to reassure skeptics that Japan is not becoming a merchant of conflict.
Yet the shift builds on earlier steps: in 2023, Japan cleared the way to sell U.S.-made Patriot missiles back to America to replenish stocks sent to Ukraine, and laid groundwork for a joint next-generation fighter jet with Britain and Italy.
Analysts note the change reflects a broader strategic recalibration — Japan is no longer relying solely on U.S. Extended deterrence but seeking to contribute more directly to collective security through tangible defense cooperation.
Domestically, the move has reignited debate over whether pacifism remains a viable national identity in an era of missile tests over Japanese waters and gray-zone coercion near the Senkaku Islands.
Supporters argue that clinging to outdated restrictions leaves Japan ill-equipped to support allies or deter aggression, while opponents warn that normalizing arms exports erodes the moral foundation of postwar Japan.
For now, the policy remains narrowly scoped — focused on trusted partners and subject to oversight — but its symbolic weight is undeniable: a nation once defined by its renunciation of war is now openly arming for peace.
Will Japan export weapons to countries involved in active conflicts?
No. The government explicitly states that, in principle, it will not export lethal weapons to nations currently at war, a condition meant to allay fears that the policy could fuel ongoing conflicts.
How many countries are eligible to receive Japanese lethal weapons under the new rule?
Seventeen nations have signed defense equipment and technology transfer agreements with Japan and are currently eligible to receive such exports, pending individual approval by Japan’s National Security Council.