Ministers suggest possible review of Japan's arms embargo policy+

TOKYO, Oct. 12 Kyodo -
Cabinet ministers suggested Tuesday the possibility for Japan to review its
policy of banning in principle the country's arms exports, following Defense
Minister Toshimi Kitazawa's gesture to proactively advocate the review in his
talks Monday with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates in Hanoi.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku told a press conference that it is
possible that the government will refer to the review of the arms embargo
policy in updating Japan's National Defense Program Guidelines later this year.
''We will discuss whether to review the principle so that it will better fit
the 21st century,'' Sengoku said.
He said, however, that the Cabinet of Prime Minister Naoto Kan has not
officially decided on the review.
''Japan should maintain its basic philosophy as a peaceful nation that it will
attempt to avoid furthering international conflicts'' by not exporting arms,
Sengoku said.
''I am not going to change the basic thinking,'' Prime Minister Naoto Kan told
reporters in the evening, when asked about the possibility of reviewing the
longstanding embargo policy.
Japan's arms embargo policy dates back to 1967 when then Prime Minister Eisaku
Sato declared a ban on weapons exports to communist states, countries to which
the United Nations bans such exports and parties to international conflicts.
Tokyo tightened the policy in 1976 when then Prime Minister Takeo Miki imposed
an almost blanket ban on the export of weapons. But in 1983, Japan exempted
exports of weapons technology to the United States from that policy.
Kitazawa advocates reviewing the policy, saying the arms export ban has
prevented Japan's defense industry from participating in joint international
technological development, potentially putting it at a disadvantage in the race
for defense business.
Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara echoed Sengoku's view, telling a separate press
conference that the government has been studying the possible review of the
principle in updating the defense program guidelines.
Maehara also said that the government will continue to uphold the original
philosophy behind the arms embargo policy.
==Kyodo
2010-10-13 00:48:21