Photo/Illutration Self-Defense Forces members load bulletproof vests onto a transport plane for export to Ukraine. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Japan appears to be on the cusp of greatly expanding the number of nations it will allow to purchase sensitive defense technology.

Ruling coalition lawmakers are now compiling such a report as they discuss revisions to the nation’s three principles on defense exports.

The report will bring together the main points that have been discussed to date. Further discussions slated this autumn will focus on specific measures to be implemented.

Under the current principles, defense equipment can only be exported if the objective is to contribute to peace or international cooperation as well as for strengthening cooperation in the national security and defense fields with Japan’s ally, the United States, and other like-minded nations.

Nations engaged in military conflict are barred from receiving such materials.

But lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and junior coalition partner Komeito have agreed to include another objective: providing support to nations that have been invaded in violation of international law or are being targeted with the use or threat of force.

The ruling coalition revised its past guidelines about providing defense equipment and specifically wrote in Ukraine as one eligible nation after it was invaded by Russia in February 2022. The coalition report calls for further expanding the range of nations to others that are also being invaded.

The report also notes that majority opinion among those involved in the discussions was that they should proceed toward allowing exports of defense equipment to third nations that Japan jointly develops with other nations.

Japan is jointly developing its next generation fighter jet with Britain and Italy. Future discussions within the ruling coalition could open the door for exporting the developed fighter jet to other nations.

Government and ruling coalition officials contend the current ban on exporting to third nations reduces the benefits that joint developing nations might receive. They also say it would make it difficult for the developed fighter jet to become an important weapon in the global market.

The report also states that views were expressed about reviewing guidelines to allow for the export of defense equipment parts as long as they do not function as weapons under the Self-Defense Forces Law of being capable to kill people or destroy property.

If that review is pushed through, used engines of decommissioned F-15 fighter jets operated by the Air SDF could conceivably be exported to nations such as Indonesia.

The report also touches upon the five categories of defense equipment that are now allowed: minesweeping, transport, surveillance, monitoring and rescue equipment.

It lays out a number of possibilities regarding such categories, including getting rid of all five or adding new ones.

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