Japan has given the green light to dismantle a long-standing ban on exporting lethal weapons. This move signals a major shift away from the country's traditional postwar pacifist policies as it aims to bolster its defense industry.

Japan endorsed scrapping a ban on lethal weapons exports, a significant change of its postwar pacifist policy, as the country seeks to build up its arms industry. <p>Japan endorsed scrapping a ban on lethal weapons exports, a significant change of its postwar pacifist policy, as the country seeks to build up its arms industry.</p><img src="https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-5793052" />