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2026 February 11 - 17 TOP3 [POLITICS]

Major arms firms provide over 220 million yen in political donations to LDP

Top companies in the Japanese arms industry in 2024 donated over 220 million yen to the Liberal Democratic Party’s political fund management body, the People’s Political Association, Akahata reported on February 16.

The top twelve companies alone made up nearly 60% of the Defense Ministry’s procurement contracts.

Based on the political fund report of the People’s Political Association, Akahata calculated the amount of political donations provided by 20 firms that were awarded the Defense Ministry’s procurement contracts.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. made donations totaling 33 million yen to the LDP political fund management body. The company received 1.45 trillion yen in contracts to construct Aegis-equipped vessels and to manufacture missiles such as the improved type 12 surface-to-ship missiles whose range exceeds 1,000 kilometers and hypersonic missiles for island defense as Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectiles.

Scandal-tainted Kawasaki Heavy Industries in 2024 donated three million yen to the LDP body despite the revelation of its scandal in which the company generated slush funds through fictitious transactions, which were then used for gifts and hospitality events for Maritime Self-Defense Force personnel. The firm gained the ministry’s contracts with a value of 639.3 billion yen. The maker supplies military aircraft such as CH-47 transport helicopters and the P-1 maritime patrol aircraft.

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation gave 20 million yen in donations. Receiving 495.6 billion yen in contracts, the company delivered to the ministry Type 03 medium-range missiles and other advanced systems, including a hypersonic missile-related system and a defense satellite system.

The Sweden-based Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on December 1, 2025 published its 2024 ranking of the 100 largest arms-producing and military services companies in the world. The 100 firms included five Japanese companies (Mitsubishi Heavy Industry, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Fujitsu, Mitsubishi Electric, and NEC). The five companies’ combined profits in 2024 increased by 40% from a year earlier, which was the largest growth in terms of a comprehensive summary by country. (Akahat December 2, 2025)

The Defense Ministry’s expert panel on the strengthening of Japan’s defense capabilities in September 2025 compiled its report calling for easing the rules on Japan’s export of defense equipment. Among the panel’s members was an honorary advisor to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Past related article:
> Japanese major defense firms enjoy 40% rise in their earnings under government’s military expansion policy [December 2, 2025]