SEOUL, March 20 (AJP) - North Korea's state news agency, the Korean Central News Agency, denounced a legislative push in Tokyo to dismantle decades of restrictions on the export of lethal weaponry through a formal commentary on Friday. The media outlet characterized the move by the Liberal Democratic Party and Japan Innovation Party as a final abandonment of the "exclusively defense-oriented" posture Japan adopted following its defeat in World War II.
The proposal recently submitted to Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae seeks to abolish the "five categories" principle that currently limits exports to non-combat equipment such as rescue, transport, and surveillance gear. If enacted, the revised policy would authorize the transfer of fighter jets, destroyers, and submarines to 17 nations with which Tokyo maintains defense technology agreements. Pyongyang alleged that the shift is a calculated effort to transform the Japanese economy into one centered on a "gigantic military-industrial complex."
The restrictions under challenge are rooted in Japan’s post-war identity and the 1947 Constitution, which renounces war and prohibits the maintenance of "war potential." In 1967, the Three Principles on Arms Exports were established to prevent the nation from fueling international conflicts, effectively resulting in a total ban by 1976. This pacifist stance was first significantly altered in 2014 under the administration of Abe Shinzo, and further relaxed by the current government to allow for the transfer of finished defense products to Washington.
KCNA argued that Tokyo is maneuvering to secure "re-invasion" capabilities by testing its weapon systems in global "hot spots" to verify their killing efficiency. The commentary warned that such a massive export of offensive weapons constitutes a grave challenge to global peace and will inevitably trigger an intense arms race among neighboring countries. The report stated that the path toward new weapon markets is a road to "irretrievable destruction" for the island nation.
The pursuit of these exports is seen by regional observers as a move to bolster the domestic defense industry while deepening security ties between Tokyo, Washington, and the administration of President Lee Jae Myung in Seoul. However, the commentary emphasized that any shift toward a military-led economy would only serve to destabilize the geopolitical balance in East Asia. The report concluded that the current trajectory of the Takaichi government marks a dangerous escalation in the militarization of the region.
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