Japan is receiving inquiries about its weapons and other military technologies half a year after it lifted its self-imposed ban on arms exports.
The new “three principles of the transfer of defense equipment and technology,” adopted in April, have opened the door to Japan’s arms exports and joint weapons development with other countries. The government is now trying to figure out how to respond to emerging demand for Japanese weapons systems, which involve a wide range of secret technologies.
I – Word Understanding
self-imposed = done or made with one’s free will
range = a set of different things of the same general type
II – Have Your Say
A) Which countries are interested in Japan’s defense equipment and technology?
1. Australia = wants to buy Japanese Soryu-class submarine known for its silent running diesel-electric “air independent propulsion” system.
2. India = is interested in ShinMaywa US-2 short takeoff and landing amphibious aircraft, which is designed for air-sea rescue operations.
3. Turkey = considered using Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ lightweight, high-power engine technology for the Altay, an advanced third generation main battle tank.
B) Japan’s rivals in the global weapons market include not only such leading military powers as the U.S. and France, but also South Korea, which has been promoting its arms exports under government leadership.
