Japan Revises Defense Export Rules and Advances Warship Talks With Indonesia

Japan revised its Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology on April 21, removing previous limits that largely restricted exports to nonlethal items. The change opened the possibility of transferring completed platforms such as warships.

In the eight weeks since the revision, officials have conducted a series of meetings with Indonesian counterparts. These included a summit in Tokyo one week before a June 12-13 visit by Japan's defense minister to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's private residence in Jakarta.

The meetings produced a Defense Cooperation Arrangement and formal discussions on transferring retired Asagiri-class destroyers from Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force to the Indonesian Navy. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters Tuesday that frequent direct engagement had turned shared security concerns into concrete cooperation proposals.

The diplomatic activity follows an earlier pattern of Japanese support through development assistance and coast guard cooperation. Officials now seek to add defense equipment, technology, training, and industrial partnerships.

Many of the countries targeted by the new approach sit along maritime choke points and sea lanes that Japan considers critical to its security and economic interests. Indonesia has become an early test case for the revised export policy.

“Tokyo is moving quickly because it sees a narrow window to turn its export reform into real strategic leverage.”