Japan Opens Arms Exports, China Calls It a Dangerous Move
Beijing (ANTARA) - The Chinese government has firmly stated its concern and deemed Japan’s decision to open the arms export tap as a dangerous step.
“China expresses deep concern. The recent dangerous measures taken by Japan in the military and security fields contradict their own claims of ‘dedication to peace’ and their adherence to the ‘exclusively defence-oriented’ policy,” said Spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry Guo Jiakun during a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday (21/3).
The Japanese government on Tuesday (21/4) revised rules on restrictions for exporting military equipment, thereby allowing the sale of weapons abroad to build its arms industry and deepen cooperation with defence partners.
The changes, approved by the cabinet of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the National Security Council, mark a significant shift in defence policy for a country that has positioned itself as a “peace-loving nation” under a Constitution that renounces war, since Japan’s defeat in World War II.
The arms export revision pertains to the “three principles on the transfer of defence equipment and technology” along with their implementation guidelines, which eliminate export restriction rules but only for five categories of non-combat defence equipment: rescue, transportation, early warning, surveillance, and mine sweeping.
“Many experts have voiced concerns that Japan is reviving its ‘war machine’ and ‘exporting war’. Japan’s accelerating remilitarisation process has now become a reality, accompanied by a concrete roadmap and tangible steps being implemented,” added Guo Jiakun.
The international community, including China, revealed Guo Jiakun, will continue to heighten vigilance and firmly oppose Japan’s reckless neo-militaristic steps.
“The Japanese militarists, during their aggression and expansion in the last century, committed horrific crimes against China and other neighbouring countries in Asia. Post-aggression documents explicitly require Japan to be ‘completely disarmed’ and not maintain industries that ‘enable it to rearm for war’,” emphasised Guo Jiakun.
Moreover, Japan’s Constitution also contains strict limitations on Japan’s military strength, the right to engage in belligerency, and the right to wage war.
Post-World War II, Guo noted that Japan established even stricter norms such as the “exclusively defence-oriented principle” to limit the development of military power and arms exports.
Although the revision of rules in Japan in principle prohibits exports of weapons to countries embroiled in conflicts, the revision also opens room for exceptions “in special circumstances” that consider Japan’s security needs as well as US military operations in the Indo-Pacific region.
Based on these changes, defence equipment will be categorised into two groups: “weapons” and “non-weapons”, with the classification based on the presence or absence of lethal capabilities or destructive capabilities in the equipment.
Exports of non-weapons items, such as early warning and control radar systems, face no restrictions; meanwhile, exports of weapons, including fighter jets, destroyers, and missiles, are limited to countries that have signed agreements with Japan regarding the protection of classified information related to defence equipment and technology.
Currently, Japan has agreements with 17 countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.
These countries must also obtain approval from the National Security Council, and the government will monitor how these weapons are managed afterwards.
In 2014, Japan began exporting some non-lethal military equipment, and in December 2023, the country approved changes allowing the sale of dozens of types of lethal weapons along with their components produced in Japan under licences from other countries to be resold back to the licensors, such as the US.
In its largest deal to date, last week Japan formalised an agreement to deliver the first three units of a Japanese-designed frigate fleet worth 6.5 billion US dollars to the Australian Navy, as well as jointly building eight more units in that country.
The defence industry is one of 17 strategic sectors prioritised for growth under Prime Minister Takaichi’s administration.
“Now, no single country can protect its own peace and security alone; therefore, supporting partner countries in defence equipment is essential,” said Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in a post on X.
Japan has gradually increased its military spending in recent years to reach two percent of GDP, with further increases expected under the Takaichi administration.