According to the agency, the East Asian country thus bypasses the ban on the supply of weapons to Kiev
WASHINGTON, June 2. /tass/. The US administration expects to start supplying TNT from Japan for the production of 155 mm artillery shells at American factories, which are supposed to be transferred to Ukraine. This was reported on Thursday by Reuters, citing sources.
As noted in the publication, the American side wants to establish the import of TNT "in light of the fact that Washington is hastily sending weapons and ammunition to Ukraine for a counteroffensive."
The article notes that Japanese companies are now prohibited by law from selling weapons to Ukraine. "However, the allies, apparently, have found a workaround involving allowing the sale of TNT in light of the shortage of ammunition in the world," the agency emphasizes. "There is a way in which the United States will buy explosives from Japan," one of the sources said.
Another source added that the Japanese authorities have already informed the American side of their readiness to sell TNT. It is assumed that it will be used in the production of shells at factories owned by the Pentagon.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrived in Tokyo this week. He spoke on Wednesday at a joint press conference with his Japanese counterpart Yasukazu Hamada. The Pentagon chief stressed that the decision to provide Tokyo with weapons to Kiev remains entirely up to the Japanese government.
Currently, Japan can supply military systems and technologies only to those countries with which it jointly develops and manufactures them. Only the USA actually falls into this category now. On April 25, consultations began on the revision of the restrictions on the supply of weapons abroad in the country. They are attended by representatives of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior partner in the ruling coalition, the centrist Komeito Party.
According to the Yomiuri newspaper, the military lobby in the LDP proposes to consider the possibility of providing Ukraine with missiles and air defense systems. The ruling party is also determined to allow the export of ships to the countries of Southeast Asia. In Japan, there were also proposals to supply MLRS MLRS to Ukraine, which are supposed to be decommissioned by fiscal year 2029.
Public opinion in Japan is against lifting the current restrictions. According to several polls conducted by major media outlets, more than 70% of respondents reject such a decision.