Japan on April 21 formally endorsed scrapping a long-standing ban on lethal weapons exports, marking a historic shift in its postwar security policy.
The approval by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s cabinet revises the country’s “Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology,” effectively clearing one of the final barriers to Japan’s participation in global arms markets.
Japan’s postwar constitution, shaped after World War II, has long restricted military activity and arms exports. For decades, Tokyo effectively banned overseas sales of weapons, reflecting its pacifist stance.
In 2014, Japan began allowing limited exports of non-lethal equipment. Further changes in 2023 permitted the sale of certain licensed lethal components, including U.S.-designed Patriot missiles, primarily to support allied supply chains….
Japan Ends Decades-Long Ban on Lethal Arms Exports in Major Security Shift
