Weapons Exports Speed Japan’s Militarization

Japan approved a sweeping legal overhaul today, lifting a decades-old ban on selling lethal weaponry to other nations, a move that highlights its rise as a major global military force.

• The decision comes as Japan hastens its military buildup amid escalating security threats across Asia. It clears the way for Japan to export domestically built fighter jets, warships, missiles, drones and other advanced weaponry.

How big is its sales market? Last week, Japan received visits from 30 nato envoys, reflecting the country’s expanding cooperation with fellow democracies.

“No single country can now protect its own peace and security alone, and partner countries that support each other in terms of defense equipment are necessary.”
—Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s prime minister

Sayonara to pacifism: Following Japan’s ruthless wartime conduct and ultimate defeat in World War ii, the United States occupied the nation and enshrined Article 9 in its new Constitution. This clause was designed to prevent a resurgence of Japanese militarism and banned war as a means for Japan to settle international disputes.

• Japan’s postwar pacifist posture included a ban on most arms exports.

In recent years, however, Japan had eased the restrictions to help nations such as Ukraine, but it still limited such sales to five categories: alert, minesweeping, rescue, surveillance and transport.

• Today’s change scraps those limits, allowing Japan to export cutting-edge, lethal weaponry to any country that signs defense transfer deals with it.
• The move comes as Japan abandons all other restraints of its pacifist posture and advances toward full military normalization.

Japan’s increasingly militaristic posture may appear reassuring given its alliance with the United States, but Bible prophecy warns of a coming shift that will align Japan with Russia and China—against America. To understand, read “Japan’s Coming Betrayal of America.”