Ukraine has launched a "special mechanism of controlled export" for weapons, with a portion of export revenues funding the domestic defense industry. Minimum contract values and conditions apply, and exports may be denied if items are needed for Ukraine's defense or are critical products.
Japan’s Mogami-class destroyer appears to be pulling ahead in the race to become the next generation of warships for the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), in what would be another major deal for Japan’s defence industry just weeks after Tokyo announced it was lifting its long-held ban on weapons exports. Under its 2025 Defence Capability Plan, the government in Wellington has committed to replacing its two ANZAC-class frigates – launched in the early 1990s – with more capable, modern warships. The...
Global attention is fixated on Japan’s strategic shift under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. From the strengthened US-Japan alliance to the tense stand-off with China, from advocating for constitutional reinterpretation to allowing weapons exports and deploying counterstrike capabilities – these moves have been dissected in capitals worldwide. But the real, and more decisive, story is unfolding on Japan’s home front. The domestic dynamic driving this change is often a footnote, yet it is the...
Women protest outside the National Diet in Tokyo against constitutional revision and Japan's post-war peace commitments, arguing that updating the charter could loosen restraints defining Japan's role in Asia. WWOF is a leading organizer behind the demonstrations.
Japan has endorsed removing its ban on lethal weapons exports, marking a significant departure from its postwar pacifist policy. The change aims to strengthen the country's domestic arms industry.
Japan announced plans to lift its ban on lethal weapons exports, marking a significant shift from its post-WWII pacifist policy. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that no country can protect its own peace alone, citing an increasingly severe security environment. The change allows Japan to export warships, missiles, and other weapons, including a $7.15 billion deal with Australia for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to build three warships. Critics warn the policy could exacerbate global tensions, with protesters opposing the change.
The approval clears a final set of hurdles for Japan's postwar arms sales and facilitate its future sale of weapons such as a next-generation fighter jet and combat drones.
