Japan plans to officially revise the principles related to arms export restrictions; Ministry of Foreign Affairs: China expresses serious concern

On April 7, Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, presided over a regular press conference. A reporter asked: According to reports, the Japanese government plans to formally revise the “Three Principles on the Transfer of Defense Equipment” this month. The measures include: no longer limiting transfers to defense equipment for non-combat use only; the principles allowing the export of lethal weapons; setting exception provisions for the export of weapons to countries involved in conflicts, while preserving space for arms exports; no longer requiring prior reporting to the Diet, and instead only notifying afterward. What comments does China have on this?

Mao Ning said that China has grave concerns about this. Many international scholars and well-informed people in Japan are deeply worried about the relevant developments, believing that this signals a fundamental turn in Japan’s postwar weapons export policy, seriously violating provisions of documents with international legal effect such as the 《Cairo Declaration》, the 《Potsdam Proclamation》, and the 《Instrument of Surrender of Japan》, seriously violating Japan’s Constitution and existing domestic norms, and undermining the institutional guarantees established after the war to prevent the embers of Japanese militarism from rekindling. (The Paper)