Japan's ruling coalition agreed Friday to allow the export of next-generation fighter jets being developed with Britain and Italy, relaxing Tokyo's strict transfer rules for military equipment.
Japan and the two countries signed a treaty in December formalising plans to pool resources to co-develop the fighter jet they hope will take to the skies by 2035.
Japan's arms export rules currently forbid the export of equipment to a third country, although there have been exceptions in recent years.
Yosuke Takagi, policy chief of coalition partner Komeito, said at a meeting with the Liberal Democratic Party that they "have agreed" to ease the rules for exports of the fighter jet.