Pacifist Japan seems to double the weapon export

Japanfamous for its pacifist The Constitution is now aiming at the global weapons export market.

Defense Minister General Nakatani Earlier this month, Nikkui said he wanted to promote Japan’s defense, signaling a clear shift in the country’s weapons policy, which was still heavily limited to Japan’s self -defense or JSDF forces.

The Prime Minister Shiger Isibr also visited the defense sector and became the first visiting prime minister who was present Dsei JapanThe largest defense exhibition in the country.

While the shift in the position occurs at the time when Global Defense Costs Japan’s motivation is related to security issues than earning a profit from affiliation to world demand, CNBC experts said.

The biggest reason for this shift-deepening of relations and improving the interaction of Japanese forces with allies and partners, said the rinto, a researcher at the Geoecomic Institute, an analytical center based in Tokyo.

Exporting weapons abroad as well Country can improve interaction With purchasing participants by standardizing maintenance processes for equipment and creating joint training opportunities.

“This justification became the main pillar after the Prime Minister (Shinzo) both created the concept of” active contribution to peace “in 2013, which is aimed at deepening cooperation with other Western countries in this field, and especially in security areas,” he said.

When the deceased both were in office, he cited efforts to revise the interpretation of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution to allow JSDF more actively contribute to international peacekeeping efforts and protection of allies.

Japan also wants to develop its defense of the industrial base, which was in “very bad conditions” before the country moved to an increase in the defense budget in 2022, Inuue said. Export will allow it to reach the savings from the scale required to make domestic production more viable.

Instead of investing in Japan’s internal defense database, the country has largely acquired weapons in the US, such as f-35 and f-35 fighters SPY-7 radar systems.

“This has created a serious situation among the defense industry based in Japan, and several companies have left the industry, especially in the supply chain,” Inhu said. In 2023, More than 100 companies have been reported Leave the defense industry over the last 20 years.

Naoko Aoki, a political scientist from the US Analytical Center, said Japanese defense firms have traditionally been valid with limited domestic demand from JSDF. The ability to export protection items means that companies will have a large customer base, helping them develop production capacity, reduce costs and have more flexibility.

“Even if JSDF was needed more, for example, ammunition, these companies would not want to invest in new objects to produce them more when they believe it is a one-time request. If at a higher level were more stable demand, they can justify the investment,” said Aoks.

As of Stockholm International Institute for Peace. The value of TIV or the index trends is an indicator of the volume of international translations of the main ordinary weapon.

By comparison, the neighboring South Korea exported 936 million TIV in 2024, 3.3% of world weapons exports, and TIV for China, the largest exporter of Asian weapons from 2020-2024 amounted to 1.13 billion, which is 3.9% of global supplies.

According to veteran David Rosh, defense, as a growth sector David Rosh, a quantum strategy strategy. ‘Demand exceeding supply over the decade,” he said. Thus, increasing the domestic potential is of paramount importance.

Rosh said that if countries such as Japan remain depending on the US, the more transactional approach of Trump administration is obliged to pay for much more own protection, or the defense equipment supplied

Rosh pointed to the US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegset during 2025 Shangri-La dialogue, Earlier this month: “We ask – and indeed, we insist that our allies and partners make their role in defense … NATO members promise to spend 5% of their GDP for defense, even Germany.”

“Thus, it makes no sense for Europe to do so, while key allies in Asia spend less on defense in front of a even more formidable threat, not to mention North Korea,” Hugset added.

“If they trust the US to honor their treaties, then individual countries must provide their own security and spend a lot of money on it,” Rosh said.

Japan in 1967 accepted “Three principles on weapons export“This restricted the exports of weapons, and then expanded these principles to virtually imposed by the US ban on weapons, except for the transfer of military technology to the United States

The country has relaxed this position with both, with the former Prime Minister Fumio Chisido in 2023 weakened cheerfulness.

A Recent changes Allow the defense equipment manufactured in Japan on a license from foreign defense firms, including finished products, is exported to the country of licensing and from there to third countries.

For example, Japan agreed at the end of 2023 For production – by license – and export to the US Patriot Interceptor rockets, whose stocks were depleted after delivering these missiles to Ukraine.

Neighborhood South Korea noticed increased global interest in her An industry of weapons And he strives to become the main world’s weapon. Will Japan be able to compete? Experts are different.

Rosh says that Japan has knowledge, skills and technology to become a major weapon provider, but IOG Inoue warns that Japan may face production problems with the fall of the population and the growth of the elderly.

“I think it is very difficult for Japan to focus on production again,” he said.

AOKI RAND pointed to the still strict rules. “Japan has technical potential for much”, but since export rules remain serious, it will use exports mainly as a tool to strengthen its defense industrial base and defense relations with the US, especially with the US