Japan ruling party eyes deal on easing weapons export rules by summer

 TOKYO -- Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party plans to resume debate on updating the country's restrictions on weapons transfers this week toward reaching an agreement this summer, as Group of Seven leaders at their summit in Hiroshima vowed to extend further assistance to Ukraine.

National security dominated the agenda on Sunday, the last day of the summit, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Japan to attend the talks. G-7 leaders in a communique said they would uphold and reinforce "the free and open international order based on the rule of law." U.S. President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced plans to provide training to Ukrainian pilots for U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets.

Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida offered to send around 100 vehicles from the Self-Defense Forces, including trucks, and around 30,000 emergency rations

While Japan has updated the legal framework around its SDF in recent decades, including by allowing overseas deployment, strict restrictions remain in place regarding the transfer of defense equipment and technology. For example, lethal weapons can only be transferred to another country that was involved in their development or production. Any arms transfers to countries involved in an armed conflict are banned -- a major limitation on Japanese assistance to Ukraine.

But there are concerns that Japan may struggle to garner international support during a potential crisis in East Asia unless it plays a greater role in aiding Ukraine. The Japanese government in its National Security Strategy published in December said it will consider updating these guidelines, calling such transfers a tool "to provide assistance to countries that are subject to aggression in violation of international law."

Some within the government had hoped to ease the guidelines before the G-7 summit in order to extend more substantial assistance to Ukraine. But talks between the LDP and junior coalition partner Komeito stalled over the latter's objection to the timeline.

Negotiations are now expected to pick back up with the G-7 over. Once an agreement is reached, the government plans to formally update the weapons transfer guidelines through the National Security Council. No legislative action will be needed.

Tokyo recently also launched a framework to provide defense equipment to partner nations for free, called Official Security Assistance. Kishida became the first Japanese leader to attend a NATO summit last year as well.