Abe eases weapons export rules

When Shinzo Abe first held the premiership his policy focus was on the revision of Japan's constitution which prevents Japan's formation of a military has might be recognized by definition if not reality.  Thus Japan's military are known as the Self Defense Force,  be it land, navel or air forces.  Another policy adopted by the Japanese following World War II was the banning of arms exports. 

Given a second chance at leading Japan Shinzo Abe spent his first year following his reelection focusing on economic issues but as his first years anniversary passed Abe returned to his true policy obsession amending Japan's pacifist constitution allowing Japan to have a true military true the ruse of collective self defense.  While these two policies  at first glance don't seem to be connected for Shinzo Abe and the Liberal Democratic Party they are.  They believe that the constitution imposed upon Japan by the Americans was just another humiliation.   

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved eased principles and guidelines for weapons exports, ending a strict ban that lasted nearly 50 years as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sets the stage for Japan to play a more active role in global security.
The newly adopted three principles on the transfer of defense equipment prohibit Japan from exporting arms to countries involved in conflict and to those that violate U.N. resolutions. However, Japanese firms will be able to export weapons when the deals pass government screenings, a major policy change from the previous rule of banning arms exports to all countries, apart from a few exceptions.
The new principles state that Japan will continue to embrace the basic philosophy of a pacifist state that abides by the U.N. Charter, but the change in rules has sparked concern that the nation’s trade in weapons could expand in the future.

Don't believe for a minute that all these restrictions which the government has proposed will be enforced its all for show, an illusion  all meant to fool the world that Japan will act responsibly in its dealings involving arms shipments.