Japanese media voice concern over Takaichi administration's push to ease lethal arms exports

Japanese media have voiced growing concern over the government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and its attempt to relax export rules for lethal arms, warning that such a move could undermine the pacifist principles rooted in Japan's constitution and heighten regional tensions.

On Friday, the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party submitted a proposal to Takaichi to lift the ban on exporting weapons with lethal capabilities, a move the prime minister indicated she supports.

The Japanese government will refer to this recommendation and is expected to revise the operational guidelines of the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology as early as this spring.

In an editorial published on Saturday, Tokyo Shimbun warned that Japan had banned arms exports after World War II, but the policy has been gradually eroded in recent years.

The latest proposal suggests the removal of export restrictions on lethal weapons. "Japan's security policy would undergo a major transformation, turning the country into one that profits from arms exports," the editorial said, questioning whether the Japanese public truly supports such a shift. It added that the move could hollow out the pacifist ideals embedded in the country's constitution.

Another editorial published on Saturday by Nishinippon Shimbun questioned whether Japan is drifting away from its long-held path as a pacifist nation. The newspaper warned that decisions on arms exports would be left solely to the government without parliamentary involvement, calling the arrangement very dangerous.

Meanwhile, Asahi Shimbun wrote in a recent editorial that easing arms export restrictions could fuel international conflicts and further aggravate tensions in the region.

The current rules laid out in the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology limit Japan's defense equipment exports to five noncombat purposes, namely rescue, transport, warning, surveillance and minesweeping.

Since late 2025, the Takaichi administration has shown signs of seeking to loosen restrictions on weapons exports, a move that has sparked strong concern and criticism within Japan.

(Cover: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force battle tanks fire ammunition during a live-fire exercise at the East Fuji Maneuver Area at night in Gotemba, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, June 8, 2025. /VCG)