The Japanese and US governments are considering the creation of a multilateral framework to regulate the export of advanced technology, according to several sources.
Japan and the US want to cooperate with like-minded countries in Europe and block exports of such technology to countries that would seek to utilise private-sector technology to boost military capabilities.
They are currently specifying the fields to be subject to regulation, which would likely include semiconductor manufacturing equipment, quantum cryptography and artificial intelligence.
In a separate framework, the administration of US President Joe Biden has already announced that the country, along with several others, will regulate technology that could contribute to human rights abuses.
Japan and the US are concerned that some countries may utilise products imported from other nations to develop their own technology and strengthen their economic and military capabilities.
The US Congress and other parties have alleged that US chip design software is being used for weapons development abroad. Some observers believe that exports of semiconductor manufacturing equipment from Japan and the Netherlands have boosted production capacity in at least one other country.
A multilateral system known as the Wassenaar Arrangement controls the export of conventional weapons, and related goods and technology. More than 40 countries, including Japan, the US and Russia, have joined the arrangement, but with their own separate interests, it takes time to decide on the objects to be controlled.
To swiftly facilitate regulations, Japan and the US hope to establish a new framework for a small number of countries with advanced technology.
The US government has strictly restricted exports to many foreign companies. However, Washington has concluded that there is a limit to what it can do on its own and a multilateral framework is necessary.
The Japanese government also believes that a new framework among countries with similar level of technology would be effective. Japan’s active involvement in discussions on export controls is expected to help the country more readily predict the impact on Japanese companies.
In 1949, Western nations established the Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls (CoCom) – which was dissolved in 1994 – to prevent the outflow of technology that would strengthen the military power of communist countries, such as the then-Soviet Union.
The new framework could develop into a modern version of CoCom.
THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN (JAPAN)/ASIA NEWS NETWORK