This news is trending in Korea due to the historical context of Japanese militarism and the ongoing geopolitical sensitivities in Northeast Asia. The policy change directly challenges Japan's post-WWII pacifist stance, raising alarms about regional stability.
Korean internet is buzzing after news broke that Japan has officially changed its defense export guidelines, now allowing the sale of lethal weapons like frigates and fighter jets. This move has sparked significant concern among Koreans, who are worried it could signal a dangerous return to militarism. For decades, Japan's post-WWII constitution has limited its military capabilities to a 'Self-Defense Force,' prohibiting the export of weapons. While some argue this new policy could boost Japan's defense industry, many online are questioning the quality and cost-effectiveness of Japanese arms, especially given recent incidents and their historical focus on domestic production rather than global competition. The debate rages on whether this is a strategic economic move or a step towards a more aggressive military posture.
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Even if they can export... Today, 3 died and 1 was seriously injured from a Type 10 tank barrel explosion, so tank exports seem out of the question, lol.
I didn't say they only kill enemy soldiers.... (referring to the tank explosion)
But objectively, what's the level of Japanese weapon technology?
Weapons of similar quality to ours are 3 times more expensive, tbh.
Since they don't have a full military system yet and are focused on the Maritime Self-Defense Force, their weapon tech level isn't super high. But if they amend the constitution to have a proper military, their potential is huge!
They've been researching and building air-to-air missiles since the 1960s, so they still have high-level tech. As for price... they haven't sold much, so who knows? If there are buyers who don't care about the price, it could become an industry, I guess... Ground weapons might be a different story. My two cents: Japan should focus on fields where price truly doesn't matter.
Many above are dismissing it, but this is actually for the export of the Mogami-class frigates. It's true that the Japanese defense industry's cost-effectiveness is an issue due to domestic-focused design, but it has improved a lot recently. While ground weapons are hopeless, their naval vessels and missile tech are competitive. The US Navy doesn't even have enough for themselves, and while Korea has made strides in Southeast Asia, many of our ships are smaller, so Japanese warships could be formidable competitors.
That's a big problem over there too. Now they'll realize it wasn't just because of that law that they couldn't export (implying their weapons might not be competitive even with the law change)...
I'm curious about the selling price, gotta look it up. Some countries export at a loss, I wonder about Japan. Did they sell missiles and fighter jets before?
Anyway, they are lethal weapons...