Japan’s Lethal Arms Export Shift: The End of Post-WWII Defense Policy

June 10, 2026 — In April, the Japanese government announced a major shift in its defense export policy, allowing the transfer and sale of lethal arms to foreign customers for the first time since World War II. Aiming to boost security cooperation with partner countries, these exports are subject to National Security Council approval and limited to 17 nations with whom Japan has technology transfer agreements. A panel of U.S. and Japanese experts will examine the critical implications of this change. The discussion addresses the challenges this poses for the Japanese defense industry regarding capacity and the labor force, as well as the opportunities for the United States and other like-minded countries in the region and beyond. Furthermore, alongside other far-reaching reforms and increased defense spending in Tokyo, the panel analyzes what these developments indicate about Japan's strategic outlook under the Takaichi government. Join the Asia Society Policy Institute for a discussion with Masataka Okano, former Japanese National Security Advisor; Christopher Johnstone, Partner at The Asia Group; Jamie Morgan, Non-Resident Fellow at the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology; and Randy Yoshimura, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Aerospace, Defense and Technology Group at Sumitomo Corporation of Americas. The discussion will be moderated by Emma Chanlett-Avery, Director for Political-Security Affairs at the Asia Society Policy Institute. Subscribe for more videos like this: http://AsiaSociety.org/YouTube --- Support Asia Society today: http://AsiaSociety.org/Donate --- Subscribe to our newsletter to stay connected: https://asiasociety.org/email-subscri... --- Facebook:   / asiasociety   Instagram:   / asiasociety   Twitter:   / asiasociety   LinkedIn:   / asia-society   #japan #defensepolicy #armssales #asiasocietypolicyinstitute 00:00 – Introduction 01:35 – Discussion