Although Japan had strict principles controlling arms exports, military contractors began working to loosen them.Mitsubishi

Heavy Industries’ booth at the Japan International Aerospace Exhibition 2024. Photo taken on Dec. 19, 2024, by You Haga.

There is something standing in the way of Japanese defense contractors’ business — Japan’s “three principles” on arms exports.

The principles, as declared in 1967 by Prime Minister Eisaku Sato, forbid Japan from exporting weapons in the following three situations.

・Exporting to communist countries

・Exporting to countries for which arms exports have been banned by a United Nations resolution

・Exporting to countries involved in international conflict or those at risk of becoming involved in such

In 1976, Prime Minister Takeo Miki made it clear in the National Diet that the weapons export policy aimed to “avoid exacerbating international conflicts, from the perspective of Japan as a pacifist nation.”

Following the end of World War II, Japanese manufacturers grew their businesses through overseas sales channels; however, defense contractors were limited in this regard. Weakening the “three principles” on arms exports, or even having them abolished, became a key issue for contractors.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries: “Be flexible”

Following the end of the Cold War, the Japanese government reduced its defense procurement budget. Military contractors wanted to make up the lost profits, but the “three principles” on arms exports were holding them back.

“It is extremely unlikely that arms exports will be liberalized in the future, and the defense industry has no plans to lobby for such,” wrote Michio Sasaki, head of Keidanren’s Committee on Defense Industry, in an article published in the February 15, 1993, edition of the Nihon Kogyo Shimbun newspaper.

Sasaki cited public opposition as one reason against relaxing Japan’s arms exports policy. “The Japanese public is generally opposed to arms exports, and it is expected that there would be significant backlash if the exported weapons were actually used to kill combatants or others,” he wrote.

However, four years later, in January 1997, Japanese and American defense contractors such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Boeing formed the US-Japan Industry Forum for Security Cooperation (IFSEC).

The IFSEC presented recommendations at a January 1998 Systems and Technology Forum, a regular meeting in which the American and Japanese governments discuss defense-related technologies. Its recommendations included allowing weapons jointly developed and manufactured by American and Japanese companies to be exported from Japan to the US.

“We must refrain from explicitly asking to be allowed to export weapons. It is against Japan’s [pacifist] constitution, and it is not an issue that should be discussed in terms of one’s own interests,” said Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Chairman Kentaro Aikawa in an interview published in the Aug. 24, 1998, edition of the Asahi Shimbun newspaper.

“However, with the US it’s different,” he added. “Isn’t it strange that Japan cannot export to the US even though it is our ally? Exporting to the US also contributes to Japan’s own security, so it may be fine to be flexible on this point.”

Top 10 companies receiving defense-related procurement orders from the Japanese government from 1996 to 2000.

The upper section shows order value, and the lower section shows donations from the company to the National Political Association (a political finance organization that handles corporate and group donations to the LDP).

Note:
・Order values are compiled from Defense Agency materials, etc.
・Orders received and donations made by subsidiaries are consolidated to the current parent company.
・Former company names have been aligned with current company names.

(Originally published in Japanese on October 25, 2024. )

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