By NOBUHIKO TAJIMA/ Staff Writer
December 20, 2023 at 16:30 JST
The government is making final arrangements to export domestically produced Patriot missiles to the United States, sources said, which would mark the first domestic arms exports after restrictions are eased.
Japan's National Security Council will soon make the final decision.
This would be Japan’s first export of finished defense equipment under the new policy that significantly relaxes restrictions on arms exports.
The Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology and the principles’ implementation guidelines will be revised on Dec. 22.
The Patriot surface-to-air guided missiles are manufactured in Japan under licensing from a U.S. company.
But the current guidelines allow Japan to export only components made under licensing by the United States.
However, the revisions will enable Japan to ship all defense equipment including finished goods, making the export of Patriot missiles permissible.
Under the revisions, the country granting the license will need to obtain Japanese consent before exporting Patriot missiles to a third county. And a restriction bars shipments to nations currently involved in conflicts.
The United States has been providing Patriot missiles to Ukraine, which is mired in an ongoing conflict with Russia after being invaded in February 2022.
Even if Japanese Patriot missiles are not exported to Ukraine, the shipment could indirectly lead to supporting the country where the war continues in the form of replenishing the U.S. inventory.
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A Patriot surface-to-air guided missile launcher, operated by the Self-Defense Forces, in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, in 2017 (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
