Tokyo scraps arms export limits for security and growth

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The Takaichi government scrapped the last major restrictions on Japan’s arms exports on Tuesday, 21 April.
• This policy change will support the government’s efforts to strengthen Japan’s defense industrial base, as the government looks to the defense sector as a pillar of Japan’s autonomy and a source of growth.
• The decision is opposed by the public, which could impact implementation in some cases, but the government may in practice face few obstacles towards promoting arms exports.