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GoneSilent Apr 22, 2026 +10

Japan is the only other producer of the Pac 3 interceptor.

10

Brief_Hospital_1766 Apr 22, 2026 +5

These are in such short supply, they will make a killing selling any excess production they have. To be honest, they should open a new production line but they probably won't.

5

GoneSilent Apr 22, 2026 +1

> excess it has sent some to the USA only to be used by USA for defense. Allowing the US to export some none .ja production interceptors.

1

Brief_Hospital_1766 Apr 23, 2026 +1

Are you saying the Japanese contract only allows for export back to the US?

1

SeparateFun1288 Apr 23, 2026 +2

Is common in weapons contracts that the weapons can be used only by the country they are selling them, and would require permission to sell it to other countries, including, depending of the system, the countries that developed some of the subsystems. For example, you could sell an used frigate, but would need permission from the US to sell the vertical launcher system and their missiles. In this case, the missiles are sold to the US without permission to sell them to other countries, of course, this just means the US replaces their own stock with japanese missiles, and sell the american to other countries, without breaking the contract. Besides, this is a product built under license, so is under the japanese exception of selling weapons to the country of origin. For contracts of components and co developments, is different, otherwise, one of the co developers would not be able to sell the weapons. For example, the SM-3 in its IIA variant, is codeveloped by the US and Japan, and Poland is an user of that variant. Systems where japanese companies produce components are for example the SPY-6 and SPY-7 radars. The SPY-6 is used by the US, and will be used by Germany, but ironically, is not used by Japan. While the SPY-7 will be used by Japan, Canada and Spain. Some components of the F-35's engines are also produced by Japan.. Those are not considered "weapons exports", they are just deal between companies, Lockheed Martin contracts Fujitsu, Raytheon contracts Mitsubishi Electric, Pratt & Whitney contracts IHI...

2

GoneSilent Apr 23, 2026 +1

No the laws of Japan do not let them export. The small export to the USA was a work around at the time that had conditions. Japan is working to change its export control laws of military hardware.

1

AdWorking2848 Apr 22, 2026 +1

Their automobile industry is not doing good for some brands, maybe some could pivot towards the production of parts for weapons

1

Brief_Hospital_1766 Apr 23, 2026 +1

Precisely. They have a large workforce of highly trained people, they could switch and probably make good returns. That said, the current trend is for attritable munitions at the lowest prices possible, so they might need to concentrate on the quantity over quality vertical.

1

maybelying Apr 23, 2026 +2

>They have a large workforce of highly trained people, they could switch and probably make good returns. The mild irony, of course, is that one of the reasons Japan developed such a massive auto industry is because they had a large workforce of highly trained people that were no longer permitted to produce weapons or military vehicles.

2

SeparateFun1288 Apr 23, 2026 +4

not exactly, Japan produced a lot of stuff before the war just like they kept producing weapons after the war. Wars are fought on logistics, a lot of ships and vehicles, as well as machinery are needed for war. Of course everything related to steel production, coal, cement, was necessary for the rapid industrialization Japan and its new territories, not just the expansion of the military. In fact, by the start of the WWII Japan had labor shortages because of the war, so that's one of the reasons for the forced labor of koreans and prisoners of war. By the end of the war, they even had kids working in their factories, because most of the men were fighting in the war. And after the war, the Korean war started. That actually boosted Japan's economy because they provided a lot of stuff for the war, including weapons, like the re chambered Arisaka rifles and tons of ammunition, chemicals and other military supplies. By 1954 Mitsubishi was again producing warships, Nakajima (aircraft manufacturer) died but new companies like Fuji Heavy Industries (now Subaru) produced military aircraft again. The NAMC YS-11 was also used by the JASDF and other countries. Mitsubishi also exported military vehicles to other asian countries. The prohibition of weapons exports came in the 60s, and more strongly in the 70s, after japanese technology ended in soviet hands, likely improving their submarine and rocket/missile technology. Anyway, at the very least, the fact that the japanese economy was boosted by the korean war, means your comment is just wrong.

4

PeaDangerous6731 Apr 22, 2026 +3

The article states that "The policy change occurs as the Pentagon accelerates its own defense modernization, including a scheduled August downselect for the F/A-XX next-generation stealth fighter program. "

3

FoundationGreat7072 Apr 22, 2026 +2

Railguns next.

2

No-Fennel-8333 Apr 23, 2026 -8

Does Japan really want to make profits on selling weapons for war? It seems a slippery slope. I would rather see Japan exporting robots for agriculture, wind turbines, solar panels.... there are so many exports possible without becoming a weapons dealer.

-8

Boobjobless Apr 23, 2026 +1

You can be both, a governments responsibility is to bolster the economy. This will do that.

1

Japan Abandons Post-War Arms Export Curbs; Global Weapons Markets Widen | LeadersCartel Intelligence

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