Ruling Bloc OKs Draft Proposal on Lethal Arms Exports

Tokyo, Feb. 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, on Wednesday reached a broad agreement on a draft proposal for revising operational guidelines for the country’s three principles on defense equipment exports, opening up the possibility of exporting lethal arms to countries in conflict. The draft proposal calls for the removal of restrictions that currently limit defense equipment exports to five categories: rescue, transport, reconnaissance, surveillance and minesweeping. The broad agreement was reached at a meeting between Itsunori Onodera, chair of the LDP’s Research Commission on Security, and his JIP counterpart, Seiji Maehara. The proposal will be submitted to the government as early as next week. The government aims to revise the operational guidelines as early as this spring. Regarding calls from some in the JIP to enable arms transfers to Ukraine, Onodera told reporters, “It’s up to the government to decide which countries Japan will conclude (defense equipment transfer) agreements with.” According to the draft, arms transfers to nations involved in ongoing armed conflicts will not be allowed in principle, but may be permitted under special circumstances linked to Japan’s national security. Defense equipment will be classified as either arms, such as fighter jets and destroyers, or non-arms equipment, such as bulletproof vests. Arms exports will require strict conditions and will be limited to countries with which Japan has reached agreements concerning the transfer of defense equipment and technology. Non-arms exports will not be subject to restrictions. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]