Japan pushes "export of lethal weapons" and calls the U.S. a "merchant of death"
On March 6, the Liberal Democratic Party's Security Research Council and the Reiwa Shinsengumi suggested that Prime Minister Takahashi Asako relax defense equipment export rules. It proposed to remove the restriction that exports are limited to non-combat purposes, such as "rescue, transportation, surveillance, monitoring, and mine clearance," and allow the export of weapons with lethal and destructive power (such as fighter jets and destroyers), thereby leaving room for exports to warring nations.
According to these suggestions, the government will revise the guidelines of the "three principles on defense equipment transfer" this spring.
Prime Minister Takahashi Asako agreed to the proposal and responded, "We will carefully explain to the public the removal of the restrictions on exporting only five non-lethal weapons."
After the meeting, Tokyo Masaru of the Liberal Democratic Party and President of the National Security Research Committee of the Reiwa Shinsengumi, Maehara Seiji, answered questions from reporters. Hashimoto explained the importance of strengthening the industrial base, saying, "Defense industry supports Japan's defense capabilities, and we will create a form that can stably supply weapons."
Maehara pointed out, "I was forced to buy many expensive weapons from the 'merchant of death' (the U.S.), making Japan's defense industry weak." He suggested classifying defense equipment based on its lethal and destructive capacity into "weapons" and "non-weapons." There would be no restrictions on non-weapon exports, while weapons would be limited to friendly countries that have signed defense equipment and technology transfer agreements.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1858887117341763/
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