Japan has eased rules on weapons exports to allow sales of a fighter jet it will develop with the UK and Italy to other countries, marking a new milestone in Tokyo’s more proactive defence policy.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s cabinet on Tuesday approved the revision to export controls, clearing a hurdle for the Global Combat Air Programme to achieve an ambitious timeline of delivering a highly advanced combat aircraft by 2035.
Defence industry executives and Japan’s allies had been hopeful that the trilateral fighter jet programme would provide an opportunity for a broader relaxation of Tokyo’s weapons exports curbs and give Japanese defence contractors greater access to foreign markets.