April 15, 2026

Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Yamazoe Taku on April 14 criticized the fact that the domestically-made Patriot missiles, which Japan exported to the United States for the first time last year, are effectively helping to arm the United States in its attacks on Iran.

Speaking at a meeting of the House of Councillors Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense, Yamazoe revealed that the number of U.S.-made Patriot missiles used during the first four days of the U.S.-Israeli war of aggression against Iran was twice the annual U.S. production volume of those missiles. He stated that the Japanese-produced missiles, which were exported to the U.S., are indirectly adding to U.S. weapons stockpiles.

He asked, “Doesn’t this contradict the Japanese government’s long-standing position that arms exports should not contribute to international conflicts?”

However, Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro refused to answer this question, stating that it is “a matter concerning U.S. military operations”.

Yamazoe demanded an explanation regarding the Liberal Democratic Party’s proposed revision to the guidelines for the “Three Principles on Arms Exports”, pointing out that it would abolish the current rule limiting arms exports to rescue, transport, patrol, surveillance, and mine clearance, and would allow the export of lethal weapons to be used in combat operations.

Nakama Hidehiko, a senior official at the Cabinet Secretariat, replied, “I cannot comment.”

Furthermore, Yamazoe noted that the current guidelines do not permit arms exports to “countries where combat is taking place as part of an armed conflict” unless “special circumstances” exist.

Nakama responded that “special circumstances” refer to situations in which Japan must respond to its security needs.

Yamazoe asserted that that if “Japan’s security needs” were used as a justification, “there would no brake.”