China Adds 20 Japanese Entities To Export Control List Over 'Remilitarisation' Concerns

Last Updated:June 29, 2026, 09:57 IST

China expanded trade restrictions on Japanese defence-linked organisations, adding 20 entities to its export control list and 20 more to a watch list, citing security concerns.

China has added 20 Japanese entities to its export control list, citing concerns over Japan’s “remilitarisation" and alleged attempts to “acquire nuclear weapons", according to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

The report said China’s Ministry of Commerce announced the measures on Monday, saying the move was intended to safeguard the country’s national security and interests while fulfilling international obligations, including commitments related to non-proliferation.

In addition to the export control measures, another 20 Japanese entities have been placed on a separate watch list, according to the report.

A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce was quoted as saying that the restrictions were being implemented in accordance with Chinese law and were aimed only at a limited number of Japanese organisations involved in activities linked to military capabilities.

The spokesperson added that the measures apply only to dual-use items, goods and technologies that can serve both civilian and military purposes.

“They will not affect normal economic and trade exchanges between China and Japan, and honest and law-abiding Japanese entities have absolutely nothing to worry about," the spokesperson was quoted as saying.

According to the report, organisations added to the export control list include Japan’s National Institute for Defence Studies, along with military research institutes involved in the development of ground, naval and air weapons systems.

Several subsidiaries and affiliated entities of Mitsubishi Electric and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries have also been included.

The report mentioned that these businesses operate across a range of sectors, including defence and space systems, specialised software development, precision instrument manufacturing, engineering services, logistics, maritime technology and technical support for special vehicles.

The list also includes NIPPI Corporation, a subsidiary of Kawasaki Heavy Industries that specialises in aerospace technologies, the report said.

Under the export control measures, Chinese exporters will be prohibited from supplying dual-use goods to the organisations placed on the restricted list.

The report mentioned that this is the second time this year that Beijing has expanded restrictions on Japanese entities.

In February, China added 20 Japanese organisations, including several of the country’s largest companies, to its export control list, while another 20 entities were placed on a watch list to increase scrutiny over selected trade and exert greater economic pressure on Tokyo.

The Ministry of Commerce spokesperson also slammed Japan’s recent military trajectory, alleging that Tokyo had accelerated efforts toward what Beijing described as a “new type" of militarism.

“Unfortunately, for some time now, Japan has not repented but has instead gone further down the wrong path, accelerating its ‘new type’ of militarism, speeding up remilitarisation and deploying offensive weapons and launching offensive missiles overseas," the spokesperson said.

The latest announcement comes weeks after China strongly criticised Japan over what it described as the country’s first overseas test of an “offensive missile" in eight decades.

According to the report, Japanese forces launched a Type 88 surface-to-ship missile in the Philippines during the US- and Philippine-led Balikatan 2026 joint military exercises held on Wednesday.

China argued that the launch marked the first time Japan had fired what it characterised as an “offensive" weapon outside its territory since the end of the Second World War.

While the Type 88 missile is capable of both offensive and defensive operations, Beijing maintained that deploying it beyond Japanese territory reflected an offensive military posture.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the missile launch represented a significant departure from Japan’s post-war pacifist stance, according to the SCMP report.

About the Author

Vani Mehrotra

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has more than 10 years of experience in national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

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