Japan authorizes a plan to sell other nations fighter jets

In defiance of postwar pacifist principles, Japan's Cabinet approved a plan to sell other countries next-generation fighter aircraft that Japan is developing with Britain and Italy.

In the most recent departure from the nation's postwar pacifist ideals, Japan's Cabinet on Tuesday approved a plan to sell prospective next-generation fighter jets that it is building with Britain and Italy to other nations. It is anticipated that the controversial decision to permit overseas arms sales will support Japan's involvement in the joint fighter jet project and serve as a step toward expanding the country's armaments industry and its standing in international security. The Cabinet also approved a change to Japan's policies regarding the transfer of technology and arms, allowing the sale of jointly created lethal weapons to nations outside of its partners.

Although he emphasized that Japan's pacifist beliefs do not change, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi stated that the modifications are required considering the security environment in Japan. Japan, traditionally a pacifist nation, has swiftly deregulated the sale of weapons due to rising regional and international tensions, particularly those arising from China.

Japan will sell its co-produced weapons to other nations for the first time through a joint decision. The outdated F-2 fighters and Eurofighter Typhoons will be replaced by a modern fighter jet developed in collaboration with Italy and the UK. Japan partnered with the British-Italian program Tempest to develop the F-X, a domestic design, and the Global Combat Air Program, or GCAP, to deploy the jets in 2035.