[CE]Japanese Weapons

            For  decades, Japan has had a self imposed weapon export that restricted them from  selling weapons to other countries. Japan’s defense minister, Yasuo Ichikawa, stated that he expected the Japanese government to ease this ban and that  Japan’s Prime Minister would convey this plan to the United States president, Barack Obama. The principles for this ban were to not export to communist  countries, countries involved in international conflicts, or countries subject  to United Nations sanctions. This ban has been hurting Japan’s competitiveness of its defense industries, such as Kawasaki Heavy Industries and IHI Corps. Efforts to ease this ban in the past have been faced with domestic opposition. The United States has been looking forward and looking to using Japanese  technology.

            This ban will allow Japan’s defense industries to expand and become involved in multinational joint projects and allow defense contractors to cut costs. While it is expected by some that the government will ease on this ban, people such as Osamu Fujimura, chief cabinet secretary, said that they have never heard of this ban lift. The leading Democratic Party has been calling for this lift for a while, even though it does not require parliamentary approval to do so. I believe that this lift will benefit Japan in development in their defense industries and may even boost their economy. While it may seem mostly beneficial towards Japan, there has been opposition in the upper parts of their parliament. They are having trouble pushing this through to make it possible.