Japan Self-Defense Forces Patriot. EPA Yonhap News

Japan has exported its Air Self-Defense Force's Patriot surface-to-air missiles to the United States, Kyodo News reported on the 19th, citing Japanese government officials.

According to the report, this is the first actual export case since the Japanese government revised its "Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment" and operational guidelines in 2023 to allow the export of Patriots to the U.S. The export volume was not disclosed.

Previously, licensed defense equipment produced by paying patent fees could only have parts exported to the license holder country. However, the Japanese government changed the regulations to allow the export of finished products as well.

A Japanese government official explained that the U.S. requested the export to replenish missiles depleted by its support for Ukraine, and the delivery of the contracted quantity will be completed this month.

The Ministry of Defense has reportedly confirmed that the exported Patriots will be used by U.S. forces, including units operating in the Indo-Pacific region, and will not be provided to a third country.

When revising its defense equipment export regulations in 2023, the Japanese government prohibited the re-export of lethal weapons and ammunition to countries engaged in conflict, even if exported to a patent-holding country.

Separately, the Sanae Takaichi cabinet is pursuing a plan to abolish the regulation that allowed weapon exports only for five purposes: rescue, transport, patrol, surveillance, and mine sweeping (clearing dangerous items such as mines from the sea).

Furthermore, the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment currently specify "cases that contribute to actively promoting peace and contributing to international cooperation" as the purpose of arms exports and "allies, etc." as export destinations. The government is also considering revising these to expand the purpose and destinations for exports.

Yonhap News