The Japanese government has begun discussions on revising the "Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology."

According to a report from the Japanese newspaper "Yomiuri Shimbun" on the 15th, the Japanese government and the Liberal Democratic Party have begun discussions on revising the "Three Principles on Defense Equipment Transfer" and plan to expand the scope of exportable equipment. Currently, the guidelines limit Japan's exportable equipment to five types: "rescue, transport, surveillance, mine sweeping." The government believes that this classification hinders the expansion of equipment exports and plans to revise the guidelines and abolish the "five types" classification in the spring of 2026. The report points out that the Liberal Democratic Party's proposal compiled in December 2025 includes studying the lifting of the export ban on what the Self-Defense Forces Law refers to as "weapons." Here, "weapons" refer to equipment designed to kill or destroy, including tanks, patrol ships, missiles, and other highly lethal weapons. If the classification of the five types is abolished, these weapons of destruction will also become exportable objects.