No. 1344 Government’s Plan to Export Next Generation of Stealth Fighters
The ruling parties of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Komeito have resumed consultation talks on the topic to export to a third country weapons jointly developed with other nations, including next generation fighter jets. They had been in stalemate on the business level and were shifted to a level of Chairman, Policy Research Council. On February 13 the two top leaders reached an agreement to restart talks.
JAPAN WILL EXPORT WEAPONS, INCLUDING THE MOST SOPHISTICATED LETHAL WEAPONS
Prime Minister Kishida Fumio told, on February 5 in the reply to a question raised by the LDP lawmaker in the Budget Committee, that the issue to export combat aircraft, which is itself the most sophisticated lethal weapon, should be settled by the end of February with some conclusions.
Heads of ruling parties will join in debates
The bilateral business council raised a proposal last December to ease the arms export regulations reasonably, and subsequently the government made a cabinet decision to lift the prohibition to sell lethal weapons to other countries. Thus, Japan, as a nation, has been converted to one of the ‘merchants of death’, but with regard to the matter to export weapons jointly developed with other countries, like next generation of combat aircraft, to a third party, the government has pigeonholed it.
It is because, reportedly, the Komeito remains prudent toward the issue. The Kishida government is preparing to break through for exporting jointly-developed aircraft; it has leveled up the status of consultation talks between the two coalition leaders and the LDP had made deliberate parliamentary questions.
In the bilateral business level meeting last August, the government announced a stance to admit exporting directly to a third nation next generation of stealth fighters to be developed jointly by the UK and Italy. According to media reports, the plan was proclaimed by experts of the Ministry of Defense and the National Security Council (NSC). Are held in secret both of these meetings and the government’s formulas after the talks, not publicly open, without involvement of Diet debates.
Authorized efforts to deploy fighters in 2035
The jointly-developed next generation fighters are to be deployed in 2035. The three nations signed a convention, called the GIGO, the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) International Government Organization, last December. The plan will be launched in 2025, media say.
The Japanese government says; ‘facing the most difficult and complex security environment since WWII, we must further strengthen deterrent capabilities. This is a historic program in which the three nations, namely, Japan, the UK and Italy, bring excellent technologies together’. The government self-praised multiparty efforts.
The fighter jets will contain technologies of F2 from Japan and of succeeding aircraft of the Eurofighter from the UK and Italy, expecting procurements from the US forces as well as NATO. The program will also unite Japan with NATO in the military relations. This is a blatant violation of the Constitution of Japan.
Exporting weapons to countries under conflict
Japan has long forbidden a practice of weapons export since the end of WWII by the Three Principles on Arms Exports and the Government’s Unified Statement, but the United States was made to be an exception during the Nakasone government. Later, the Abe administration changed the Rules to rename, ‘Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology’, successfully managing to open a path in 2014 to exporting arms; weapons can be sold to others in the five fields, the ‘rescue, transport, police, surveillance and minesweeping’ missions.
Consecutively, the Kishida government has further broadened the domain, approving exports of arms produced under license of other countries to the license holders. Now there are eight countries to which Japan can export arms in accordance with their order. But regulations are absent as for arms exports of these countries when they sell to conflicting parties. That means Japan may be an indirect party to the conflict.
自公の実務者協議で膠こうちゃく着状態にある次期戦闘機を含め他国と共同開発する武器の第三国への輸出問題について、両党は政調会長レベルに上げて協議を再開した。２月13日の党首会談で合意した。
最先端の殺傷兵器そのものである戦闘機の第三国への輸出について、岸田文雄首相は２月５日の衆院予算委で自民党議員の質問に答える形で２月末までに結論を出すよう求めた。
党首会談に持込み
両党の実務者会議は昨年12月、武器輸出規制の大幅緩和を提言、政府は殺傷兵器の輸出解禁を閣議決定した。日本は殺傷兵器を輸出できる「死の商人」国家に変貌したが、次期戦闘機など他国と共同開発した武器の第三国への輸出については先送りしていた。
公明党の「慎重姿勢」によるとされ、自民党がやらせ質問をし、党首会談で協議のレベルアップを図って共同開発した戦闘機の輸出へ突破口を開く魂胆だ。
政府は昨年８月、自公の実務者協議の場で英伊と共同開発する次期戦闘機を第三国に直接輸出することを容認する見解を示した。防衛省や国家安全保障局（ＮＳＳ）の担当者が示したという。実務者協議、与党協議での政府の見解説明、いずれも密室であり、国会の関与はない。
35年配備に向けて
共同開発する次期戦闘機は35年配備予定。３カ国は昨年12月、共同開発する次期戦闘機に関する条約（ＧＩＧＯ）を締結し、25年から開発に着手することになっているという。
日本政府は、「第二次世界大戦以来、最も厳しく複雑な安全保障環境に直面する中、抑止力を強化し、日英伊３カ国が優れた技術を持ち寄る歴史的プログラム」と共同開発を自賛。
共同開発する次期戦闘機は、日本がＦ２、英伊はユーロファイターの後継機、米軍やＮＡＴＯの採用も見越す。ＮＡＴＯとの軍事的な関係を強めるもので、憲法否定は明白だ。
紛争当事国に輸出
武器輸出は戦後、「武器輸出三原則」及び「政府統一見解」で禁輸が堅持されたが、中曽根内閣が対米輸出を例外化。安倍内閣が２０１４年、「防衛装備移転三原則」と名称を変え、「救難、輸送、警戒、監視、掃海」の５類型で武器輸出の門戸をこじ開けた。
岸田内閣が更に広げ、他国のライセンスで生産した兵器もライセンス国に輸出可能とした。対象とする８カ国の求めに応じて輸出できるが、輸出先の国が紛争当事国に輸出することへの規制はない。日本は間接的な紛争当事国になる。
英訳版↓
No. 1344 Government’s Plan to Export Next Generation of Stealth Fighters
The ruling parties of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Komeito have resumed consultation talks on the topic to export to a third country weapons jointly developed with other nations, including next generation fighter jets. They had been in stalemate on the business level and were shifted to a level of Chairman, Policy Research Council. On February 13 the two top leaders reached an agreement to restart talks.
JAPAN WILL EXPORT WEAPONS, INCLUDING THE MOST SOPHISTICATED LETHAL WEAPONS
Prime Minister Kishida Fumio told, on February 5 in the reply to a question raised by the LDP lawmaker in the Budget Committee, that the issue to export combat aircraft, which is itself the most sophisticated lethal weapon, should be settled by the end of February with some conclusions.
Heads of ruling parties will join in debates
The bilateral business council raised a proposal last December to ease the arms export regulations reasonably, and subsequently the government made a cabinet decision to lift the prohibition to sell lethal weapons to other countries. Thus, Japan, as a nation, has been converted to one of the ‘merchants of death’, but with regard to the matter to export weapons jointly developed with other countries, like next generation of combat aircraft, to a third party, the government has pigeonholed it.
It is because, reportedly, the Komeito remains prudent toward the issue. The Kishida government is preparing to break through for exporting jointly-developed aircraft; it has leveled up the status of consultation talks between the two coalition leaders and the LDP had made deliberate parliamentary questions.
In the bilateral business level meeting last August, the government announced a stance to admit exporting directly to a third nation next generation of stealth fighters to be developed jointly by the UK and Italy. According to media reports, the plan was proclaimed by experts of the Ministry of Defense and the National Security Council (NSC). Are held in secret both of these meetings and the government’s formulas after the talks, not publicly open, without involvement of Diet debates.
Authorized efforts to deploy fighters in 2035
The jointly-developed next generation fighters are to be deployed in 2035. The three nations signed a convention, called the GIGO, the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) International Government Organization, last December. The plan will be launched in 2025, media say.
The Japanese government says; ‘facing the most difficult and complex security environment since WWII, we must further strengthen deterrent capabilities. This is a historic program in which the three nations, namely, Japan, the UK and Italy, bring excellent technologies together’. The government self-praised multiparty efforts.
The fighter jets will contain technologies of F2 from Japan and of succeeding aircraft of the Eurofighter from the UK and Italy, expecting procurements from the US forces as well as NATO. The program will also unite Japan with NATO in the military relations. This is a blatant violation of the Constitution of Japan.
Exporting weapons to countries under conflict
Japan has long forbidden a practice of weapons export since the end of WWII by the Three Principles on Arms Exports and the Government’s Unified Statement, but the United States was made to be an exception during the Nakasone government. Later, the Abe administration changed the Rules to rename, ‘Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology’, successfully managing to open a path in 2014 to exporting arms; weapons can be sold to others in the five fields, the ‘rescue, transport, police, surveillance and minesweeping’ missions.
Consecutively, the Kishida government has further broadened the domain, approving exports of arms produced under license of other countries to the license holders. Now there are eight countries to which Japan can export arms in accordance with their order. But regulations are absent as for arms exports of these countries when they sell to conflicting parties. That means Japan may be an indirect party to the conflict.
February 28, 2024