Japan's political scene is on fire 🔥 as opposition leaders warn that a government plan to loosen arms export rules could push the country away from its pacifist roots.
This past Monday, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, agreed to revise the implementation guidelines of the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology. The proposal would lift restrictions that currently limit defense equipment transfers to five noncombat purposes and is expected to hit the cabinet floor in February 2026.
On Sunday, senior figures from opposition parties took to NHK to voice their concerns. Former foreign minister Katsuya Okada, now senior adviser to the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, argued that removing the five-category caps would effectively allow exports of lethal weapons.
"At a time when Japan's defense budget continues to expand, the risk of forming a military-industrial complex is growing," Okada said, highlighting a potential shift from postwar pacifism to arms production.
Taku Yamazoe, policy chief of the Japanese Communist Party, went even further, accusing Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government of turning the military into an economic pillar. "This is tantamount to declaring Japan a military state and making us merchants of death," he warned, urging a return to the country's pacifist foundation.
According to reports by the Nikkei Shimbun, scrapping the five-category restrictions could open the door to broad weapons exports, including lethal equipment—a move that has sparked growing concern and backlash in Tokyo.
As Japan balances regional security challenges with long-held pacifist ideals, the debate over arms exports is heating up. Will the ruling coalition push through its plan in February, or will the opposition's warnings resonate with the public? Stay tuned. ✨
Reference(s):
Japanese opposition slams ruling coalition's plan to ease arms export
cgtn.com
