Japanese people hold signs to protest the high defense budget passed by the Japanese House of Representatives in Tokyo, Japan on February 28.
2月28日，在日本东京，日本民众举着标语牌抗议日本众议院通过高额的防卫费预算案。
The news of Japan's decision to export weapons with lethal capabilities to the US has sparked widespread concerns. On December 27, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that Japan's approval of the re-export of Patriot interceptor missiles to the US would have negative consequences for global and regional security. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning urged Japan to earnestly respect the security concerns of neighboring countries and reflect on its history of aggression. The statements from neighboring countries are worth Japan's careful consideration. Japan should realize that exporting lethal weapons to the US is playing with fire.
日本决定向美国出口杀伤性武器的消息引发多方关切。俄罗斯外交部发言人扎哈罗娃12月27日表示，日本批准向美国返销“爱国者”防空导弹之举将对全球和地区安全造成负面影响。中国外交部发言人毛宁日前也敦促日方切实尊重周边邻国的安全关切，深刻反省侵略历史。周边国家的一系列表态值得日本深思，日本应当认识到，向美国出口杀伤性武器就是在“玩火”。
Lifting the ban on the export of lethal weapons is the latest move by Japan to gradually loosen its security restrictions. On December 22, the Japanese government amended the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology and its implementation guidelines. The focus of this policy change is to allow Japan to export completed weapons it produces and assembles to authorized countries that grant Japan a "production permit."
Moreover, with consent from Japan, these completed weapons can be exported by the authorized countries to third countries, excluding countries currently engaged in combat. On the same day, the Japanese government decided to export the domestically produced Patriot Advanced Capability-3 land-based intercept missiles to the US.
解禁杀伤性武器出口是日本步步松绑安保限制的最新动作。12月22日，日本政府修改了《防卫装备转移三原则》及其实施方针。此次政策修改的重点是允许日本将其生产并组装的成品武器出口到给予日本“生产许可”的授权国，而且只要事先征得日方同意，这些成品武器还可经授权国出口到第三国，但当前被认为正在进行战斗的国家除外。22日当天，日本政府就决定向美国出口在日本生产的陆基拦截导弹“爱国者-3”。
Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported that the resale of Patriot missiles to the US is the first export of completed lethal weapons to other countries under the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology. The Asahi Shimbun reported that "It was so arbitrarily changed without national debate and this kind of decision made in a 'secret room' meeting cannot be widely recognized by the people!" Professor Hideki Uemura of Ryutsu Keizai University, who specializes in security policy, said that the direct consequence of this major revision is to turn Japanese companies into arsenals that support US defense policies.
《日本经济新闻》刊文称，向美国返销“爱国者”导弹是在《防卫装备转移三原则》下首次向他国出口具有杀伤力的成品武器。《朝日新闻》刊文称，“在没有经过国民讨论的情况下，就这么被任意地改变了。这种‘密室’会议做出的决定，不可能得到广泛的国民的认同！”日本流通经济大学专门研究安保政策的教授植村秀树表示，此次重大修改的直接后果，就是让日本企业沦为支持美国防卫政策的兵工厂。
Gradually loosening security restrictions is a dangerous move against Japan's pacifist constitution. After World War II, as a defeated nation, Japan enacted a pacifist constitution. However, right-wing forces in Japan have never given up their dreams of making Japan "a political power" and "a military power." Japan's decision to re-export Patriot missiles to the US undermines the restrictions on Japan's military capabilities set by the pacifist constitution. On the one hand, Japan is likely to gradually expand the scale and target countries of completed weapons exports, turning itself into a part of the global weapons supply market.
步步松绑安保限制是违背日本和平宪法的危险举动。二战结束后，作为战败国的日本颁布了和平宪法，但日本国内的右翼保守势力却从未放弃“政治大国梦”和“军事大国梦”的野心。此次日本政府决定向美国返销“爱国者”导弹，就是在架空和平宪法对日本发展军备力量的限制。一方面，日本今后很可能以切香肠的方式不断扩大成品武器的出口规模和出口对象国，进而将自身打造为世界武器供应市场的一部分。
Mainichi Shimbun analyzed that the impression given by the re-export of Patriot missiles to the US is that Japan is entering an era where it assumes a part of the international arms supply network. On the other hand, Japan is likely to become more involved in regional conflicts. Although the Japanese government emphasizes that authorized countries cannot export weapons manufactured in Japan to a third country currently engaged in combat without Japan's consent, there are concerns that Japan indirectly fuels conflicts by supplementing the US arsenal. Miho Aoi, professor of law at Gakushuin University in Japan, said that Japan's pacifist constitution advocates pacifism and does not encourage international disputes, but this revision goes against the spirit of the Constitution.
《每日新闻》分析称，向美国返销“爱国者”导弹给人的印象是日本担负起国际武器装备供应网一部分的时代已经到来。另一方面，日本今后很可能更多地介入到地区冲突之中。虽然日本政府强调未经日本同意，授权国不能将日本生产制造的武器出口到正在进行战斗的第三国，但即使日本制造的“爱国者”导弹不被“正在进行战斗的第三国”使用，人们也担心日本通过补充美国军火库间接助长冲突。日本学习院大学宪法学教授青井未帆说，日本和平宪法主张的是和平主义，不助长国际纷争，但此次修改违背了宪法精神。
Pursuing the breakthrough of military development will only harm itself and others. Japan's attempt to return to its militaristic path by gradually loosening security restrictions is fundamentally against its own interests. Only by adhering to the path of peaceful development can Japan truly promote its prosperity. Before World War II, Japan reached a point of no return under the militarization policy. Historical experience repeatedly proves that a country's prosperity and development depend on a peaceful and stable surrounding environment. The wars of aggression initiated by Japanese militarism brought profound disasters to countries and regions, especially some Asian nations. Japan's heading down the irreversible path of militarism made most Japanese people become victims of war. Japan should deeply reflect on its history of aggression.
日本谋求突破性军力发展结果只会害人害己。日本妄图通过步步松绑安保限制来重走军事大国老路的做法，根本不符合其自身利益，坚持走和平发展道路才能真正促进日本的繁荣发展。战前，日本正是在“军事立国”路线下最终走上不归路的。历史的经验与教训反复证明，一个国家的繁荣与发展离不开和平、稳定的周边环境。日本军国主义发动的侵略战争曾给地区国家特别是亚洲受害国人民造成了深重灾难,带来了无法磨灭的痛苦记忆。随着日本走上军国主义的不归路，广大日本民众最终也成了战争的牺牲品和受害者，日本应对侵略历史进行深刻反省。
Reckless actions will lead to self-destruction. Japan should learn from history, earnestly adhere to its pacifist constitution, develop friendly relations with neighboring countries and regions, and earn the trust of Asian neighbors and the international community through concrete actions. This is Japan's most important security guarantee and the right path it should take.
悬崖之前，一意孤行将粉身碎骨。以史为鉴，日本应切实遵守和平宪法，发展与周边国家和地区的友好关系，以实际行动取信于亚洲邻国和国际社会，这才是日本最重要的安全保障、才是日本该走的正道。
Editor's note: Originally published on haiwainet.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
