May 29, 2012
Japan’s weapon industry praises the Noda Cabinet’s deregulation on the national principles banning arms exports.
At the end of last year, the Noda Cabinet approved a plan to ease the Three Principles on Arms Exports, which had been maintained by successive governments for 45 years, which will exclude Japan’s allies and friendly countries from the ban contained in the principles.
On May 24, the Japan Association of Defense Industry held a party at a hotel next to the Defense Ministry. Association Chair Nishida Atsutoshi (Toshiba chair) said, “We are very pleased to see the opening up of a path for international joint development and production of weapons. We will provide our full support and cooperation.”
Kitagami Keiro, the parliamentary secretary of Economy Ministry, stated, “The defense industry is the basis for Japan’s national interests.”
Vice Defense Minister Watanabe Shu said, “We have already received many offers from the U.S. and friendly countries. The task now is to maintain the world-famous ‘made in Japan’ quality and promote joint research and development with the world.”
The U.S. has been calling on Japan to revise the three principles, criticizing them as an obstacle to producing and deploying to European countries the SM-3 Block IIA Missiles the two countries are jointly developing.
In April, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron made a joint statement with Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko calling for an early start of the two nations’ joint development and production of weapons. Japan has reportedly received similar offers from France, Italy, and Australia.
Meanwhile, members of an NPO involved in negotiations of the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty expressed concerns that the deregulation of the three principles inevitably weakens Japan’s negotiation capabilities on issues of peace and disarmament.
At the end of last year, the Noda Cabinet approved a plan to ease the Three Principles on Arms Exports, which had been maintained by successive governments for 45 years, which will exclude Japan’s allies and friendly countries from the ban contained in the principles.
On May 24, the Japan Association of Defense Industry held a party at a hotel next to the Defense Ministry. Association Chair Nishida Atsutoshi (Toshiba chair) said, “We are very pleased to see the opening up of a path for international joint development and production of weapons. We will provide our full support and cooperation.”
Kitagami Keiro, the parliamentary secretary of Economy Ministry, stated, “The defense industry is the basis for Japan’s national interests.”
Vice Defense Minister Watanabe Shu said, “We have already received many offers from the U.S. and friendly countries. The task now is to maintain the world-famous ‘made in Japan’ quality and promote joint research and development with the world.”
The U.S. has been calling on Japan to revise the three principles, criticizing them as an obstacle to producing and deploying to European countries the SM-3 Block IIA Missiles the two countries are jointly developing.
In April, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron made a joint statement with Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko calling for an early start of the two nations’ joint development and production of weapons. Japan has reportedly received similar offers from France, Italy, and Australia.
Meanwhile, members of an NPO involved in negotiations of the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty expressed concerns that the deregulation of the three principles inevitably weakens Japan’s negotiation capabilities on issues of peace and disarmament.
