Japan breaks with post-war history and sells Patriot missiles to the US
Japan is about to announce it will approve the sale of advanced air defense systems to the United States, a major shift in its post-war policy that limits exports of weapons and military equipment, and a move that could help Washington support Ukraine in his fight against Russia.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s cabinet is expected to meet Friday morning to discuss changes to Japan’s arms export restrictions, a Japanese and a U.S. official said, allowing Tokyo to return American-designed Patriot missiles made in Japan to the U.S. government to sell. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the timing of the announcement.
The move is another sign that Japan, a pacifist nation since the end of World War II, is taking on a greater global security role. Although from the country export policy prevent it from selling lethal weapons “intended for a country party to a conflict,” a working group of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner Komeito has recommended changes that would ban the sale of equipment made under license back to the countries where the original manufacturers are located.
Mitsubishi heavy industry makes the Patriot missiles, which can shoot down drones and fighter planes, under license from the American manufacturers Raytheon and Lockheed Martin. Until now, Mitsubishi has created the air defense systems for the Japanese military.
If Japan exports the Patriot systems back to the United States, the “added benefit is that it obviously gives us some flexibility with our global inventory and commitments,” Rahm Emanuel, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, said of the expected announcement. The United States approved the shipment of Patriot missiles to Ukraine late last year.
The Washington Post reported the planned export of Patriot missiles earlier this week.
Mr. Emanuel said the expected change in Japan’s export policy was in addition to Tokyo’s already announced measures to increase military spending to 2 percent of gross domestic product over the next five years, or by about 60 percent. Japan has also accelerated its spending on Tomahawk missiles from the United States and pushed up the first delivery date for those weapons to 2025, from 2026. Tomahawk missiles are capable of hitting targets in enemy territory.
“The pace of reform and the significance of the reform are unprecedented and incredibly welcome,” Mr Emanuel said.
The Japanese government is also discussing the possibility of sending artillery shells to the United States, said a Japanese official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly. The United States has repeatedly asked allies to help replenish supplies and send ammunition to Ukraine, but Japan’s export restrictions have so far prevented this.
The government is also expected to discuss policy changes to allow the export of a fighter jet that Japan is developing jointly with Britain and Italy. When the three countries signed an agreement in Tokyo last week to develop the plane, Grant Shapps, Britain’s Defense Secretary, said that without Japan agreeing to sell the plane to third parties, “Who will be able to continue the project anyway?”
In comments to reporters last week, Chief Cabinet Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said the Japanese government hoped to further revise its export restrictions to allow sales to third countries of weapons “developed through international joint projects.”
Hisako Ueno reporting contributed.