JAPAN APPROVES ARMS EXPORTS TO 17 COUNTRIES IN HISTORIC BREAK FROM POSTWAR PACIFIST DEFENSE POLICY

Japan has approved the export of defense equipment to 17 countries, marking one of the most significant departures from the pacifist principles that have governed the country's security policy since the end of World War II. Japanese companies will now be permitted to sell arms to a list of approved nations, a policy shift that the government in Tokyo framed as a necessary response to deteriorating security conditions across the Asia-Pacific region, including China's military buildup, North Korea's ongoing ballistic missile program, and Russia's war in Ukraine.

Japan's postwar constitution, written under U.S. occupation and long interpreted to prohibit the export of lethal military equipment, had kept the country on the sidelines of the global arms trade for decades. The government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has steadily expanded defense spending and reinterpreted constitutional limits in recent years, culminating in the approval of the expanded export list. Critics in Japan's opposition parties have warned that the move risks entangling the country in foreign conflicts, while defense analysts and allied governments have welcomed the step as a signal of Japan's commitment to regional security.

The United States has publicly encouraged Japan to strengthen its defense capabilities and deepen interoperability with allied militaries. The arms export approval is expected to benefit Japan's domestic defense industry, which has long been constrained by limited procurement volumes and the previous ban on foreign sales. Officials said the government would establish an oversight framework to ensure exports comply with international arms trade norms and are not transferred to third parties without authorization. The list of approved recipient countries was not publicly disclosed in full, though officials confirmed it includes several NATO members and key Indo-Pacific partners.