Three Japanese soldiers were killed and one injured when a shell exploded inside a tank during a live-fire exercise at the Hijudai Training Area in Oita Prefecture, southern Japan, on Tuesday. The blast occurred inside the turret of a Type 10 main battle tank, killing the tank commander, gunner, and safety officer. The driver survived but was injured.
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff Masayoshi Arai announced that live-fire exercises using Type 10 and Type 90 tanks, which use the same shells, have been suspended pending an investigation. “We will promptly determine the cause so that we can take preventive measures,” Arai said. The Type 10 is Japan's newest tank, first deployed in 2011.
The accident comes on the same day Japan scrapped a ban on lethal weapons exports, a significant shift in its postwar pacifist policy. The new guidelines, approved by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Cabinet, allow for the export of Japanese-developed warships, combat drones, and other weapons. The move aims to bolster Japan's arms industry amid concerns over Chinese and North Korean aggression.
China criticised the policy change, but it has been welcomed by defence partners such as Australia and has attracted interest from Southeast Asia and Europe. Opponents argue it violates Japan's pacifist constitution and could increase global tensions. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara defended the policy, stating it would “ensure safety for Japan and further contribute to the peace and stability in the region.”
