Japan is scrapping a ban on lethal weapons exports, a major change of its postwar pacifist policy as the country seeks to build up its arms industry and deepen cooperation with defense partners.

The approval clears a final set of hurdles for Japan's postwar arms sales and facilitate its future sale of weapons such as a next-generation fighter jet and combat drones.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that "no single country can now protect its own peace and security alone." ...

Japan on April 21 scrapped a decades-old ban on exporting lethal weapons, clearing the way for sales of fighter jets, missiles, and warships to allied nations in the most dramatic shift in the country ...

Japan has ended its decades-long self-imposed ban on exporting lethal weaponry, opening sales to 17 partner nations as part of a push into the global defense market. The move coincides with rising ...

The move, which opponents say will raise global tensions, comes as the U.S. ally accelerates its military buildup in the face of growing security challenges in the region.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan on Tuesday scrapped a ban on lethal weapons exports, a major change in its postwar pacifist policy as the country seeks to build up its arms industry amid worries over Chinese and ...