Japan's opposition parties urge stricter scrutiny on arms exports

Several opposition parties in Japan are calling for tighter scrutiny of arms exports as the government moves to relax its restrictions on such sales.

According to Japan's Kyodo News on Thursday, three major opposition parties – the Centrist Reform Alliance, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, and Komeito – are preparing to submit a joint proposal to the government. The proposal urges the government to uphold Japan's constitutional pacifist principles and establish a more rigorous system of checks and balances for arms exports.

The oppositions warn that hastily changing Japan's arms export policies could damage the country's international reputation and undermine its diplomatic efforts for peace. Their proposal argues that such decisions should not be made unilaterally by the government and ruling parties but should involve broader parliamentary debate and public discussion.

The proposal suggests that the export of high-lethality weapons should require approval by the Japanese Cabinet. Additionally, exports above a certain monetary threshold would need to be reviewed by the parliament.

The draft also calls for comprehensive assessments of the potential impact on regional security dynamics and recommends imposing stricter controls on the transfer of arms to countries engaged in armed conflict. Furthermore, it insists that any arms export should be aligned with Japan's constitutional commitment to pacifism and international law.

The move by the opposition comes amid discussions within Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to relax restrictions on weapons exports. 

On Monday, the LDP reviewed a draft proposal to amend the implementation guidelines of Japan's "three principles on the transfer of defense equipment and technology," which would facilitate the export of weapons, including lethal arms. 

According to Kyodo News, the draft would not require prior parliamentary approval. Instead, the National Security Council would review and approve weapon exports, with the Diet only being notified retrospectively. 

The proposal has sparked significant backlash, both from opposition parties and segments of the public, who argue that relaxing these restrictions could lead Japan down a dangerous path.

Hiroshi Shiratori, a professor at Hosei University based in Tokyo, cautioned that allowing the export of lethal weapons without parliamentary approval could transform Japan into a "country that exports war."

Katsuya Okada, a former foreign minister and senior adviser to the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, expressed concerns that permitting lethal weapons exports would mark a fundamental break from Japan's postwar pacifist stance. "At a time when Japan's defense budget continues to expand, the risk of forming a military-industrial complex is growing," Okada said.

Taku Yamazoe, policy chief of the Japanese Communist Party, accused Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government of treating the military as an economic driver and seeking an overall loosening of arms export restrictions.

That is tantamount to declaring Japan a military state and turning it into a "merchant of death," Yamazoe said, adding that Japan should avoid becoming an arms supplier and instead reaffirm its identity as a pacifist nation.

Kazuko Ito, a prominent Japanese lawyer, warned that an over-reliance on the military industry and arms trade could have lasting consequences, making it difficult for Japan to disengage from such dependencies in the future.