There is a loophole: the US will attract Japan to the production of ammunition for the Armed Forces - Reuters

The Japanese government has banned the export of military equipment to third countries, but the ban does not apply to dual -use goods. The United States seeks to provide TNT supply from Japan to produce 155 mm artillery ammunition. About it reports Reuters with reference to its own sources. Two people who are familiar with the question say that for Japan weapons are taboo. Export rules are prohibited by Japanese companies to sell deadly goods abroad, including artillery ammunition needed by Ukraine.

However, they have a loophole that will buy an important component for shells - TNT. "There is a way for the United States to buy explosives in Japan," one of the informants said. TNT is a double -purpose product, and therefore export restrictions for such products are much less harsh than for purely military goods. Including this, the states buy Japanese laptops for their own army, said in the publication.

Another source reported that during the visit of the head of Pentagon Lloyd Austin to Tokyo, among other things, it was said that Japan would approve the sale of TNT. The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Economics of Japan refused to inform whether a Japanese company has applied for TNT export. Chugoku Kayaku, which is one of the 22 explosive manufacturers, produces industrial TNTYL in the publication. They stated that the US government did not contact them.