Japan’s export of lethal weapons sent an “extremely dangerous signal” indicating expanded military capabilities, Chinese observers and media said on Thursday as relations between the two countries continued to nosedive.
The assessment followed Japanese media reports on Wednesday that Japan had exported domestically produced Patriot surface-to-air missile interceptors to the United States.
The US would use the missiles to replenish its own stockpile as it provided military support to Ukraine in the war against Russia, Kyodo News reported.
Japan’s export of lethal weapons has been heavily constrained by its Three Principles on Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology, guidelines for the country’s arms exports. In recent years, Tokyo has repeatedly sought to revise the principles.
The efforts included a 2023 amendment to the principles permitting the supply of Japanese-made Patriot missiles to the US.
For years, Beijing has accused Japan’s political right-wing of whitewashing the nation’s wartime history and trying to amend its pacifist constitution, alter its non-nuclear policy and expand its military capabilities.
Global Times, a state-owned tabloid newspaper affiliated with the Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily, quoted Chinese military expert Zhang Xuefeng on Thursday as saying Japan “has no intention of exercising self-restraint in arms exports, which is an extremely dangerous signal that will trigger a series of chain reactions”.
Zhang argued that “Japan will use the export of Patriot missiles as a template to export more lethal weapons abroad, which will inevitably pose a threat to regional security”.
The recent weapons shipment comes in the midst of a diplomatic row between Beijing and Tokyo over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on a Taiwan contingency.
Speaking to the Japanese parliament on November 7, Takaichi stated that the use of force against Taiwan could be deemed a “survival-threatening situation”, thereby enabling Tokyo to deploy its Self-Defence Forces.
The Japanese leader has refused to retract her comments, further infuriating Beijing.
Talks in Beijing on Tuesday involving senior diplomats failed to ease the tensions, with Beijing reportedly imposing a seafood import ban and suspending cultural exchange events as well as intergovernmental dialogue.
Takaichi’s comments suggesting Japan might intervene should Beijing use force against Taiwan signalled a shift from the long-standing policy of “strategic ambiguity” voiced by previous Japanese leaders.
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. Most countries, including Japan and the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-ruled island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.
Beijing has vowed to respond with “resolute” countermeasures if Tokyo were to resort to force in the Taiwan Strait.
Song Zhongping, a Chinese military commentator and former People’s Liberation Army instructor, said Japan wanted to leverage arms production for the US to advance its domestic military industry.
“It can replicate or even improve certain American weapons systems by introducing and acquiring intellectual property,” Song added.
Song said Japan hoped the shipment would create a “breach” in its strict arms export restrictions.
In addition, Japan was seeking to “exert political influence” by exporting arms to countries such as the Philippines and Australia, according to Song.
Tokyo’s ultimate objective, he said, was “to amend the Peace Constitution and normalise the nation” – terminology tied to improving Japan’s national defences.
Last month, Japan’s new defence minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, announced he would continue to promote the country’s arms exports.
Also last month, Takaichi said she intended to increase Japan’s defence spending to 2 per cent of GDP by the end of March next year, fully two years ahead of the deadline set by previous governments of her ruling Liberal Democratic Party. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
