TOKYO: Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, Komeito, agreed Friday to allow exports to third countries of a next-generation fighter jet that the country will develop jointly with Britain and Italy.

The ruling parties’ policy chiefs reached the agreement as part of discussions on exports of internationally developed defense equipment to third countries. They agreed to limit such exports to the next-generation fighter jet for the time being.

Based on the agreement, the government will shortly revise its guidelines for defense equipment transfers to enable the fighter jet exports.

To allay Komeito concerns that defense equipment exports will go out of control, the government will introduce strict procedures that require cabinet decisions not only to revise the guidelines but also to actually export defense equipment.

The guidelines will need to be revised every time the government wants to export any defense equipment other than the fighter jet.

Such items will be exported only to countries with which Japan has signed defense equipment and technology transfer pacts. There are 15 such countries including Australia, India and the Philippines, but countries where a combat is taking place will be excluded.

The Japanese government initially wanted the two parties to reach an agreement on the export rule by the end of February to smooth the way for talks with Britain and Italy on the fighter jet development.

But the ruling parties’ discussions went into a deadlock due to Komeito’s cautious stance. To break the stalemate, Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio upgraded the talks to policy chief levels.

JIJI Press