The Japanese government said Wednesday it will require advance notification from private firms seeking to export cutting-edge technologies such as quantum science, in an effort to prevent such technologies from being diverted to military purposes in countries like Russia and China.
Export controls will also be tightened for non-cutting edge fields at risk of being used in conventional weapons, with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to request that firms investigate the possibility of such use, it said.
A trade ministry ordinance under the foreign exchange and foreign trade law will be amended to include penalties for violations.
The law currently requires firms to seek permission from the ministry before exporting technologies in 15 fields, including nuclear power, chemical weapons and cutting-edge materials.
The proposed amendment will strengthen the "catch-all regulation," which covers items not explicitly listed but at risk of being diverted for weapons manufacturing.
The move means that some of Japan's advanced technologies will require prior approval from the trade ministry before being exported if deemed they could be used in weapons in the future, even if the original transaction was for civilian use.
Firms will need to notify the ministry of their intention to export such cutting-edge tech, after which they will be provided with information on risks related to trading partners and regions. If there are concerns of military diversion, the export will require permission from the ministry.
In light of Russia's use of general-purpose items such as drones in its invasion of Ukraine, the export of goods and technologies in fields not considered cutting-edge will also be subject to approval if investigations find they could be diverted to military use.
The ministry will publish criteria to help firms assess whether a transaction is of high risk, aiming to reduce confusion about whether their actions violate the law.
