Japan again relaxes rules for exporting military equipment

For the second time in a short time, the Japanese government has relaxed export restrictions on military equipment. The country wants to sell fighter planes that it builds together with Great Britain and Italy to other countries.

After World War II, in which the Japanese Empire occupied large parts of East Asia and the Pacific Islands with brutal force, Japan adopted a constitution in which it would use its own army only for self-protection. The country therefore had a strict policy for a long time: deadly military weapons were not allowed to be exported.

Fifteen countries

The controversial new law change only applies to the new fighter planes and will be limited to currently fifteen countries. These countries have signed an agreement with Tokyo stating that they will resolve international disputes peacefully, as stated in the United Nations Charter. Exports to countries involved in a conflict remain prohibited.

With the new fighter planes, Japan hopes to create a military advantage now that tensions are rising in the region. China, North Korea and Russia regularly hold military exercises around Japanese waters.

Without the relaxation of export restrictions, the new fighter planes would have been unaffordable for the Japanese. Now we earn money from sales and the development costs are spread over a larger fleet.

No bullet fired

Japanese troops have not fired a bullet in a conflict since World War II, but since a reinterpretation of the Japanese constitution in 2016, it is possible that Japan could be dragged into war if an ally is attacked.

A year and a half ago, Japan adopted a new defense strategy for the first time in a long time, increasing spending on the army by billions of euros. It is also building a series of military bases and has previously purchased American Tomahawk missiles with a range of 2,500 kilometers.

Japan is not a member of NATO, but does have strong ties with the military alliance. Previously, it allowed limited exports of defense equipment produced abroad.