German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, second from right, shakes hands with Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in front of the JS Teruzuki destroyer at the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's Yokosuka Naval Base, March 22. AP-Yonhap
Japan’s decision to lift decadeslong restrictions on arms exports is expected to intensify competition with Korea, particularly in the global naval shipbuilding industry, experts and industry officials said Monday.
The move marks a significant policy shift, coming more than six decades after Tokyo imposed strict limits on overseas weapons sales following its World War II defeat in 1945.
Defense experts said Japanese shipbuilders are poised to emerge as formidable contenders against Korean counterparts such as HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean, both of which must brace for tougher competition in overseas naval contracts.
“In Southeast Asia, Japan is widely regarded as a more reliable partner than Korea due to the former’s long-standing engagement through official development assistance, which could translate into stronger naval export opportunities,” said Yang Uk, a research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies.
Yang added that Japan’s recent successful bid for Australia’s next-generation multirole frigate program underscores its enduring competitiveness in advanced naval platforms.
Tokyo’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was selected as the final contractor for the SEA 3000 project, reaffirming Japan’s technological credibility among developed nations.
Japan’s manufacturing prowess, which rivals or even exceeds that of Korea in certain sectors, could enable it to expand exports of advanced military systems in naval and other areas. Key examples include the P-1 maritime patrol aircraft and the Taigei-class diesel-electric submarines.
A Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Soryu-class submarine is seen off Ashizuri Cape in Kochi Prefecture, western Japan, in this 2021 photo. EPA-Yonhap
However, other experts said Japan’s easing of arms exports rules will not pose any immediate threat to Korean defense players, as Tokyo has focused mostly on supplying defense products to its Self-Defense Forces.
Source: Korea Times News
