Japan’s cabinet, led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, has approved new guidelines scrapping a ban on lethal weapons exports, marking a significant departure from the country’s postwar pacifist policy. The move clears final hurdles for Japan to build up its arms industry and deepen defence cooperation with partners.
The decision comes as Japan accelerates its military buildup amid growing regional security challenges. While China criticised the policy shift, it has been largely welcomed by defence allies such as Australia and attracted interest from Southeast Asia and Europe.
Opponents argue the change violates Japan’s pacifist constitution and could increase global tensions, threatening the safety of Japanese citizens. Japan’s transformation into a major defence spender has evolved over decades, raising questions about compliance with Article 9 of the US-drafted 1947 constitution, which renounces war and the maintenance of military forces.
Since the Korean War, Japan has gradually reinterpreted its self-defence stance, allowing overseas troop dispatches for peacekeeping and, under former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2014, legalising collective defence. The latest shift further normalises Japan’s military capabilities without formal constitutional amendment.
