Japan has relaxed decades-old restrictions on its arms exports, clearing the way for it to sell weapons to more than a dozen countries.
The announcement on Tuesday marks a milestone in Tokyo's shift away from the pacifism that has characterised its post-war defence policy. It also comes at a time of heightened tensions in the region.
Restrictions that limit arms exports to just five categories - rescue, transport, warning, surveillance and minesweeping - will be lifted.
This means Japan can now sell lethal weapons to the 17 countries with which it has defence agreements, including the US and the UK.
A ban on arms sales to countries involved in conflict will stay, although it does not cover those that have defence pacts with Japan. Authorities in Tokyo say they will allow for exceptions in special circumstances.
In an increasingly severe security environment, no single country can now protect its own peace and security alone, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi wrote on X on Tuesday.
However, she also said there was absolutely no change in our commitment to upholding the path and fundamental principles we have followed as a peace-loving nation for over 80 years since the war.
Under the new system, we will strategically promote equipment transfers while making even more rigorous and cautious judgments on whether transfers are permissible, she wrote.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said in a press briefing that the move was intended to safeguard Japan's security and further contribute to the peace and stability of the region.
China has said it is seriously concerned about what it described as Japan's reckless militarisation.
China will remain highly vigilant and resolutely opposed [to the move], Beijing's foreign ministry stated in a routine media briefing on Tuesday.
The new arms export rules were announced as Japan's Self-Defence Forces took part in annual war games between the US and the Philippines. Japan is joining these war games as combatants for the first time, instead of as observers.
China has opposed the drills, claiming that they would deepen regional divisions, particularly as the exercises occur in contested areas involving Taiwan, which China views as a breakaway province.
Last year, Takaichi provoked Beijing by suggesting that Japan could respond with its Self-Defence Forces if there was an attack on Taiwan. South Korea's foreign ministry expressed a desire for Japan's defence policy to be aligned with the ideals of its Peace Constitution while contributing positively to regional stability.
Japan's defense posture, codified in its post-World War Two constitution in 1947, renounced war and disallowed the maintenance of war potential. However, the mindset has gradually been shifting.
In 2014, then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe relaxed a blanket ban on military sales, and in 2023, Fumio Kishida expanded it further to allow the export of finished lethal weapons for the first time since World War Two.
Takaichi, who supports potential constitutional revisions, has not detailed specific changes but is believed to consider amending Article 9, which renounces war.
Supporters argue that Japan must adapt to a new reality given its geopolitical concerns, but critics warn against Japan's growing military capabilities and the potential for involvement in conflicts.
