Japan Is Poised To Become Part of America’s Arsenal of Democracy

Japan’s rearmament policy is slowly going global.

According to an April 15 report from Reuters, Japan is expected to finalize reforms to its arms export regulations imminently, significantly easing restrictions on sending lethal technologies to trusted allies and partners while opening a pathway for greater commercial sales of defense technologies.

The move follows both South Korea’s emergence as a key arms exporter and increased global demand for advanced weapons platforms to counter the threats posed by China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. It also showcases Tokyo’s efforts to become an integral supplier for U.S. allies and partners.

New Rules Could Allow Transfer of Lethal Weapons

The proposal is the culmination of nearly a decade of arms export reforms, particularly in the period following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, during which Japan allowed Patriot systems built under license to be shipped to Kyiv. While Japanese firms had previously only been authorized to send nonlethal aid, including rescue, transport, warning, surveillance, and minesweeping equipment, the new policy will allow the export of weapons systems such as destroyers and missiles under government approval. The rules would also allow Japanese firms to export related defense technologies, such as warning and control radar systems, without government approval, opening the door to greater foreign commercial sales.

Tokyo would also be able to transfer lethal defense equipment directly to active combat zones in the event of a crisis threatening the country’s national security, shattering decades of precedent under Japan’s pacifist constitution. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi previously noted that a similar carve-out would theoretically allow Tokyo to deploy the Japanese Self-Defense Forces in the event of a Taiwan contingency.

Japan and South Korea Fuel Surging Allied Arms Industry

Japan’s decision to allow greater commercial sales of defense technologies parallels a regional trend — South Korea has also rapidly emerged as a major manufacturer of key weapons platforms. While Japanese defense firms have long faced barriers to accelerating domestic production, Tokyo has encouraged firms to pursue joint production agreements abroad, including joining the Global Combat Air Programme with Italy and the United Kingdom in 2022 to design a replacement for the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. Japan also remains a major shipbuilding hub, with Australia signing a $6.5 billion agreement in August 2025 to purchase 11 improved Mitsubishi-built Mogami-class frigates.

Japan’s shifting policy may allow Tokyo to match Seoul’s expanding order book across the NATO alliance and plug gaps in U.S. defense supply chains. South Korea has become a major exporter of artillery, air defense, and other high-end systems across central Europe, including signing more than $22 billion in contracts with Poland since 2022 for tanks, self-propelled howitzer systems, and rocket launchers. Along with strengthening key U.S. allies, these sales have also eased the strain on the U.S. defense industrial base, which has struggled to ramp up production to satisfy both domestic and global demand.

Washington Should Accelerate Commercial Ties and Joint Production With Japanese Firms

Japan’s decision to relax its export restrictions will place the country’s defense industrial base on a more solid commercial footing, benefiting both the United States and the region by allowing Tokyo to transfer greater quantities of defense technologies — both lethal and nonlethal — to U.S. allies and partners such as the Philippines and Australia. The new rules will also enhance the efficacy of Japan’s planned increase in defense spending by allowing firms to scale their investments at a greater pace to meet rising global demand.

Washington can further support this rearmament program by accelerating joint production efforts with Japanese firms, particularly manufacturing of the same types of advanced precision weapons used by the United States in its conflict with Iran.

 Jack Burnham is a research analyst in the China Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). For more analysis from Jack and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow Jack on X @JackBurnham802. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.