The aforementioned Constitution prohibits Japan from exporting weapons and military and defense technology. Now, Ms. Takaichi's government has decided to lift this ban, first of all to pave the way for Japan from now on to be able to export lethal weapons and transfer military and defense technology as well as cooperate in manufacturing modern weapons with 17 countries that have signed military, defense and security cooperation treaties with Japan.
Japan launched this process in 2014 with the export of non-lethal military equipment and reached an important peak by allowing the export of a few types of lethal weapons from the end of 2023.
The removal of the ban on exporting lethal weapons is a new turning point in this roadmap. Although the "Peace Constitution" has not been amended, in fact, it no longer hinders Japan from exporting weapons and modern defense and security technology.
The benefits of this are both practical in the short term and of long-term strategic significance for Japan. Exporting weapons and military technology, defense and security brings great economic benefits to Japan. Only then can it have a foothold and a part in the world arms trading market, building for Japan the image and prestige, position and influence of a military power in the world.
Ms. Sanae Takaichi argued that in the current context, no country can guarantee its own security without partners and linkages. Accordingly, the export of weapons and defense technology is considered a connecting tool, helping Japan build a network of allies and strategic partners.
Deeper than that is the goal of strongly developing a modern military, defense and security industry to have necessary export products. To have that industry that is truly modern and developed, it is necessary to abandon all prohibitions, all forms of control and all levels of restraint. Once exports are allowed, it is necessary to allow self-production or cooperation with external partners for production. Typical projects are Japan producing missiles for the US Patriot system according to US design and manufacture and then selling them to the US for the US to supply to Ukraine.
The Japanese government adopted the above major policy at a time and in a context where many of Japan's partners and allies are also implementing a similar strategy, that is, also increasing arms exports and transferring military, defense and security technology to each other to turn partners into strategic allies without having to form military alliances with each other.
Ms. Takaichi has two advantages so that she can now go further and faster on this path compared to her predecessors. The first advantage is that she does not need to start or start new but can go further, not create a precedent when precedent has become common practice. The second advantage is that her current ruling coalition accounts for an overwhelming majority in the Japanese National Assembly. The flag has been handed over. The strong wind has risen. The new policy is the result of the Japanese Government's win-win policy.
