Japan Press Weekly

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2014 July 16 - 22 [POLITICS]

Block Abe’s attempt to turn Japan into ‘merchant of death’

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

After the government of Prime Minister Abe Shinzo abolished on April 1 the Three Principles banning Japan’s arms exports, it has been accelerating moves to expand arms exports. This is linked with the government’s attempt to turn Japan into a war-fighting nation by reinterpreting the war-renouncing Japanese Constitution.

The Abe administration approved on July 17 at a ministerial meeting of the National Security Council the export of parts of PAC-2 missiles to the United States. This is the first decision in regard to arms exports based on the “three new principles” the government laid down on April 1, which lifts the embargo on weapons made in Japan.

PAC-2 is a surface-to-air missile used to shoot down airplanes. The products permitted to be exported are parts of the missiles’ high-performance sensors to lock on to their targets. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which has provided Japan’s Self-Defense Forces with PAC-2 missiles, is to send the sensor parts to the U.S. under a license agreement with Raytheon, a leading munitions manufacturer in the U.S. After the U.S. government decided to export the missile systems to Qatar, Raytheon requested Mitsubishi to make those components as the U.S. firm already ended its production.

According to the application guidelines of the three new principles, if a nation which imported arms from Japan exports them to a third nation, the Japanese government needs to give its consent to the re-exportation in advance. The Abe administration, however, insists that Mitsubishi’s case is not covered by the guidelines because Mitsubishi is to provide those products to Raytheon based on their “license agreement”.

This means that there is a possibility that other Middle Eastern countries in addition to Qatar may import the interceptor missiles in which Japan-made parts are installed and use them in conflicts. In fact, the Japanese government acknowledges that Israel may also obtain the missile systems.

The Abe administration also states that the purpose of the parts supply is to help the U.S. produce PAC-2s and maintain optimal performance. This statement clearly shows that Washington is trying to incorporate Japanese companies into its war production system by having them produce parts of weapons which American firms are no longer manufacturing.

Japan’s Defense Ministry published in June a new strategy on defense production, proposing that the government will encourage Japanese arms manufacturers to participate in the international joint development of military materials in order to help increase their global competitiveness. In line with this policy, PM Abe recently visited Britain, France, and Australia to build collaborative relationships with these countries.

It is totally unacceptable for the Abe administration to change Japan into a merchant of death.

Past related article:
> Lifting arms embargo is integral to Abe’s attempt to build war-fighting Japan: Yamashita [April 2, 2014]