Japan Lifts Arms Export Ban in Historic Shift; Beijing Calls Move Reckless Militarisation | WION

Added: 2026-05-05

[00:00:00]Shifting our focus to Japan now, for eight decades the country kept its weapons to itself. A nation that once waged war across Asia made a solemn promise to the world. That promise ended today. Japan has just opened the door to selling lethal weapons on the global market for the first time since the Second World War. We have this report, check it out.

[00:00:47]For decades Japan built warships, missiles, and advanced defense systems that almost no foreign buyer could touch.

[00:00:56]Its factories had the technology.

[00:00:58]Its engineers had the skill.

[00:01:01]But its post-war rules kept the gate shut.

[00:01:04]That era is now ending.

[00:01:09]Japan has approved its biggest arms export rule change in generations, allowing defense companies to sell lethal military equipment abroad under expanded conditions.

[00:01:21]It marks a dramatic shift for a country whose modern identity was shaped by the horrors of war and a constitutional commitment to restrain.

[00:01:31]Now strategic realities are rewriting old boundaries.

[00:01:36]Rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific, North Korean missile tests, pressure around Taiwan, and China's growing military reach have pushed Japan to rethink security policy.

[00:01:49]Tokyo wants stronger deterrents, closer defense ties, and a more self-reliant industrial base.

[00:01:58]At present, no country can protect itself on its own. In order to protect the country and the region, it is important to strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of allies and like-minded countries by promoting the transfer of defense equipment and technology even more.

[00:02:16]By opening foreign markets, [music] Japan's defense giants can now chase contracts overseas, scale up production, and strengthen supply chains.

[00:02:25]Analysts say sectors such as naval systems, radar, missile defense, and aerospace could benefit first.

[00:02:34]China has already expressed concern, warning against moves that could destabilize regional security.

[00:02:43]Japan's recent series of dangerous moves in the military and security fields have exposed its self-proclaimed status as a peaceful nation and a country adhering to policy of self-defense. Many experts and scholars are concerned that Japan is restarting its war machine and exporting war abroad.

[00:03:03]Beijing has long watched Japan's military moves with suspicion, given the deep scars of wartime history.

[00:03:11]Inside Japan, the decision may also spark debate.

[00:03:15]Supporters say the world has changed and Japan must adapt. Critics warn the country risks drifting away from the pacifist principles that helped define the post-war order.

[00:03:28]Bureau report, Beyond World is One.