Britain, Japan to produce arms jointly

A deal on weapons manufacturing partnership is being sought by Japan, whose Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda would be hosting his British counterpart David Cameron for a planned visit in April, said the daily Sankei Shimbun.

According to the paper, the UK government has so far proposed plans to jointly develop four items, including the auto-loading system for 155-millimetre (6.2-inch) howitzers.

For the first time in decades, officially pacifist Japan is going to promote its domestic arms industry and reduce defence spending by making partnership with foreign firms to develop weapons.

This came after Tokyo relaxed its self-imposed ban on arms exports in December, paving the way for Japanese firms to participate in multinational weapons projects.

Japan, whose industries took years to recover after World War II, declared in 1967 that it would tightly control its foreign weapons sales.

The new rules allow Japan to develop and produce arms jointly with other countries around the world. Such partnerships could be particularly important for a country like Britain, whose economy is facing huge problems and the lucrative weapons deals would be regarded as a blessing for Britons at a time of double-dip recession.

MOL/MA/HE

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