There is a churn taking place in Japan right now that is going unnoticed. The Japanese PM and her Cabinet have diluted existing restrictions on arms exports to major partners with a view to solidifying Tokyo’s position as a major defence exporter and building new alliances against an aggressive China, which the Japanese PM has accused of trying to alter the status quo. What is interesting is that PM Sanae Takaichi chose to completely overhaul the existing transfer framework for arms exports rather than pursue a Constitutional amendment. This, combined with the PMs strident remarks on China, raises the question of whether Japan is preparing to rearm itself in the face of a US pivot to West Asia.
A renewed push to arm Japan raises memories of Imperial Japan. The paying of monetary homage at the Yasukini shrine by PM Takaishi (from her own funds) is thus symbolic of a Japan recalling its imperial past and looking ahead to becoming a nation with a strong, export-oriented industrial base. Notably, it is worth recalling that the removal of any restrictions on defence exports was a pillar of the coalition agreement signed in October 2025 between PM Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the supporting Japan Innovation Party (JIP). This itself is a perceptible shift in Japan’s politics, as the JIP is more aligned with the LDP on defence and security issues than the dovish Komeito party was during the 26-year coalition that came to an end in late 2025.