Japan lifts ban on lethal weapons exports in major shift of pacifist policy

What Happened

Japan's cabinet under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi lifted a decades-old ban on exporting lethal weapons including fighter jets, missiles, and warships. The shift marks a major policy change from post-WWII pacifist principles. At least seventeen countries qualify as eligible buyers, with transfers limited to nations committed to UN Charter compliance and peaceful use.

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