Levels of Enthusiasm Differ within Japan’s Ruling Parties on Export of Defense Equipment

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:55 JST, February 4, 2026

Candidates in the ruling parties differ in enthusiasm on the promotion of Japanese defense equipment exports, according to a recent Yomiuri Shimbun survey on the upcoming House of Representatives election.

About points of contention on which respondents place importance, “diplomacy and national security” was ranked fifth, being cited by 27% of respondents.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who is also president of the Liberal Democratic Party, intended to make strengthening defense capabilities a major point of contention for this election.

But fewer than 50% of LDP candidates and fewer than 30% of Japan Innovation Party candidates replied that they consider the issue a high priority.

While 80% of JIP candidates supported an increase of defense equipment exports, only 49% of LDP candidates replied so, indicating a complex difference in opinion inside the ruling bloc.

Among LDP candidates, another 38% replied they generally support the plan.

Concerning guidelines for the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology overseas, the government and ruling parties aim to abolish the limitations which allow for only five categories of fully assembled equipment to be exported as early as this spring.

The JIP, which vows to play “a role of accelerator” for the Takaichi administration’s policies, wants to abolish most of the conditions restricting defense equipment exports and instead leave decisions to the government’s discretion.

However, many LDP members are considering a certain level of limitations on exports by, for example, strictly screening planned exports.

In contrast, 36% of Centrist Reform Alliance candidates opposed and 42% generally opposed increasing defense exports. CRA candidates have shown strong opposition to Takaichi’s stance on the issue.

Opinions among ruling party candidates also differ over a numerical target of government spending related to national security, including the defense budget.

This fiscal year, the government moved forward with efforts to raise national security expenditures as a percentage of the nation’s gross domestic product to 2% two years earlier than previously scheduled.

While 79% of JIP candidates said the figure should be raised above 2% of GDP, just, 38% of LDP candidates replied so. Fifty-nine percent of LDP candidates and 55% of CRA candidates replied that the percentage should be capped at around 2%.

From now, the government and ruling parties aim to proceed with debates by the end of this year about revising the three national security documents, including the National Security Strategy, as well as the numerical target and how to secure revenue sources.

Securing revenue sources is essential for increasing government spending for national security-related affairs.

Because doing so could result in an increased burden on the people, it seems a large number of candidates replied they aim to keep the status quo.