On the 24th, the Chinese government announced that it would add 20 Japanese companies to the export control list, saying they are involved in improving Japan’s military power, and ban the export of items for both military and civilian use from China.
Companies added to the list include companies affiliated with large machinery companies engaged in the defense industry, such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and IHI, as well as JAXA, the Aerospace Research and Development Organization, and the National Defense University. They announced that they will ban the export of military and civilian items from China from the 24th.
Rare earths are also included in the military and civilian use items that are subject to regulation announced by the Chinese government so far, so the focus is on whether the 20 companies added to the list will actually be banned from exporting rare earths in the future.
In addition, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced that it would further strengthen export restrictions on items for military and civilian use, saying that it could not confirm the end use of 20 other Japanese companies, including automobile company SUBARU.
Taking Prime Minister Takaichi’s response to the National Assembly on the so-called ‘Taiwan crisis’, China is stepping up economic pressure on Japan, such as announcing strengthened export restrictions on items for military and civilian use in January.
A Commerce Ministry spokesman commented, “It is completely justified and legal as it is aimed at deterring Japan’s remilitarization and attempts to acquire nuclear weapons.”