[ 【はがきアクション】三菱重工と三菱電機は武器製造や武器輸出から撤退を] 15 March 2024

[Japanese-to-English translation by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

The Consumers Union of Japan, together with the SHUFUREN and the Network Against Japan Arms Trade (NAJAT), is launching a 'postcard action' calling on public to send postcards to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and Mitsubishi Electric appealing to them to withdraw from arms manufacturing and exports....

The Mitsubishi Group, in particular, is most active in arms exports. Among others, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. is the largest military contractor in Japan and is developing missiles with an enemy base strike capability, which is included in the three new strategic documents (the National Security Strategy (NSS), the National Defense Strategy (NDS), and Defense Buildup Program) approved in 2022. Mitsubishi Electric is Japan's only exporter of air defence radars to the Philippines. Last year, it signed an agreement for a joint development project with the Australian Department of Defence...

To put a stop to this dangerous situation, we call for participation in the postcard action and boycott campaign...

Our appeal to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and Mitsubishi Electric

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. must withdraw from the production of missiles with an enemy base strike capability and the joint development of the next generation fighter aircraft.

Last year, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Japan's largest military contractor, signed a contract with Japan’s Defense Ministry for the development and mass production of four types of long-range missiles, including the Type 12 land-to-ship guided missiles... These are missiles capable of hitting targets over 1,000km away and could reach neighbouring countries, and are weapons in violation of the Constitution, an exclusively defensive security policy.

The company is also the lead Japanese manufacturer in the joint Japanese-British-Italian development of the sixth-generation fighter jet... The jet could also bring war crimes by exporting them to third countries...

Mitsubishi Electric must withdraw from arms exports and international joint development agreement

... The only previous example of Japanese-made defense equipment exports was the export of air defence radar systems to the Philippines by Mitsubishi Electric. The company also participated in joint UK-Japan research on fighter missiles, which began immediately after the abolition of the Three Principles on Arms Exports in 2014 and ended in 2023...

In October last year, it signed a contract with the Australian Department of Defence for a joint arms development project... This is the first time a Japanese company has signed a contract directly with a foreign government...