Japan is preparing to reopen internal government discussions on the direct supply or sale of defense equipment to Ukraine, including interceptor missiles for the Patriot air defense system.
Former Japanese Defense Minister and Liberal Democratic Party Member Itsunori Onodera announced the effort during a visit to Kyiv, noting that fresh discussions would begin under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
The move comes after a series of meetings between Tokyo and Kyiv, including talks between Takaichi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as the war-torn country seeks at least 300 Patriot interceptors to counter Russian airborne attacks throughout the winter.
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Officials noted that transferring lethal weapons to a nation at war requires navigating Japan’s long-standing mandate on defense capability transfers.
Although the country revised the guideline earlier this year, direct arms transfers to active combat zones remain limited unless tied to specific national security exceptions.
Tokyo currently operates 24 Patriot air defense batteries, totaling about 120 launches, and manufactures PAC-3 interceptors under US license through Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Analysts indicate that the East Asian government could consider transferring older variants such as PAC-3 CRI or PAC-2 GEM stocks while retaining its latest PAC-3 MSE inventory.
“There are certain legal restrictions in Japan, as well as restrictions at the public policy level,” Onodera told RBC-Ukraine.
“However, under the leadership of Prime Minister Takaichi, we intend to initiate intra-governmental discussions on further steps, using this visit as a catalyst.”
The developments followed Japan’s issuance of sanctions against Russia, freezing assets for 42 individuals and entities while placing restrictions on 35 “shadow fleet” vessels linked to the aggressor.