Japan's Militarization and the Dangers of Radioactive Radiation

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi 内閣広報室 / Cabinet Public Affairs Office

JAKARTA - Japan in the last 80 years has become an anti-war (pacifist) country after losing World War II. However, now Japan has chosen to become a militaristic country.

The Japan Times, April 21, 2026 reported that the Japanese Diet (Parliament) changed the Anti-War Constitution by allowing the export of Japanese weapons.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is active in efforts to market Japanese weapons to neighboring countries as well as forming cooperation to hinder China's economic progress in the region. Takaichi calls the Taiwan issue a part of Japan's security interests.

Takaichi sold warships to Australia, namely the Mogami stealth frigate, donated the Abukuma-class destroyer fleet to the Philippines, and planned to do the same, namely donating the Asagiri-class destroyer to Indonesia.

In a meeting in Tokyo (5/6/2026) Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin specifically discussed grants for warships and various weapons from Japan.

The problem is, most of the components of the weapons industry that come from heavy-grade rare earth minerals, the world's supply is controlled by China. Japan, not losing its mind, since 2011, Japan has invested in the Lynas Company, Australia which produces heavy-grade rare earth metals for weapons specifications.

The jogmec.go.jp website dated March 30, 2011 stated that Sojitz and JOGMEC agreed to invest capital in Lynas to supply rare earth metals to Japan. The Sojitz and Japan Oil, Gas, and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) corporations invested 250 million US dollars and received a minimum allocation of 8,500 tons of rare earth metals from Lynas. This amount is equivalent to 30 percent of all Japanese needs. Mitsubishi through Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) also acquired shares in Lynas in 2011, as reported by The Australian media on July 5, 2011.

MUFG is connected to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) which makes modern warships such as the Mogami Class frigates. The Australian 26 February 2026 reported, MHI built three frigates in Japan and three units in Australia which will be handed over to the buyer, the Australian Navy.

To supply magnets and rare earth metal-based components, MHI relies on supplies from Lynas. According to a tradingview.com report dated January 7, 2026, due to the ban on the export of rare earth metals from China to the Japanese weapons industry, suppliers outside China reaped the benefits.

Shares of Lynas Rare Earth Lt in Australia rose 16 percent, while Japanese company Toyo Engineering Corp rose 20 percent as it was judged to have successfully developed technology to mine rare earth metals from the seabed.

The Dangers of Active Radio

The supply of the needs of the Japanese weapons and industrial production triggered another problem, namely the health and safety of residents, especially in Pahang State, Malaysia. The health hazard was triggered by radioactive waste from the production of rare earth metals from the Lynas Rare Earth Malaysia Plant, in the Gebeng Industrial Park, which has been more than two decades in the demonstration of residents.

Before it stood, local residents had held a demonstration because of fear of exposure to active radio. Furthermore, after operating in November 2012, various elements of the residents routinely demanded the closure of Lynas Rare Earth in the China-Malaysia Industrial Park, Gebeng.

In the production phase of the first stage of rare earth metals, radioactive waste is always produced which is dangerous for the community. This has already happened in Malaysia in the 1980s.

Singapore's Channel News Asia (CNA) news agency in a November 5, 2023 broadcast titled Malaysian City Still Haunted by Radioactive Pollution tells the story of Mitsubishi Chemicals' radioactive waste residue in Bukit Merah, Ipoh State, Malaysia, which was closed in 1984.

The active radioactive waste at Bukit Merah is the remains of the production of rare earth metals carried out by the Mitsubishi Chemicals corporation in the 1980s. The Bukit and the large lake of the former mine and waste storage have caused residents' anxiety until now.

"Radioactive pollution in Bukit Merah resulted in children being born with disabilities and various health disorders. This is our concern that will be repeated in our area in Pahang," said Tan Bun Tit (78), an environmental activist in Kuantan, Pahang State.

According to Tan in his written statement, long-term exposure to active radio can trigger cancer, children born with disabilities with a soft head (Jelly Fish Head) and other problems.

Long-term exposure to active radio is indeed dangerous for humans. For example, the location of the United States nuclear bomb test in the Marshall Islands, which ended in 1956, has resulted in 80 percent of the local population suffering from various types of cancer.

Asked why there was not much coverage of the threat of active radio in Kuantan, Tan said the mass media in Malaysia was silenced and the business involved important people.

Lynas's radioactive waste in Malaysia is stored in the open, exposed to the wind and rain. According to Tan, Lynas in Australia made a special dome to safely bury radioactive waste.

The Malaysian government in the extension of Lynas Rare Earth's operating license in March 2026 stated that Lynas must stop radioactive waste in 2031. In a report by The Edge Malaysia, Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MOSTI) Datuk Chang Lih Kang, in the Malaysian Parliament, March 2, 2026 confirmed that Lynas will operate in accordance with the rules for handling radioactive materials.

However, Malaysian environmental activists are still demanding that Lynas and the Malaysian Government bring the waste back to Australia because there is a suitable place to store radioactive waste there.

Japan's Militarization and the Dangers of Radioactive Radiation

Japan in the last 80 years has become a pacifist country after losing World War II. However, now Japan has chosen to become a militaristic country.

The Japan Times, April 21, 2026 reported that the Japanese Diet (Parliament) changed the Anti-War Constitution by allowing the export of Japanese weapons.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is active in efforts to market Japanese weapons to neighboring countries as well as forming cooperation to hinder China's economic progress in the region. Takaichi calls the Taiwan issue a part of Japan's security interests.

Takaichi sold warships to Australia, namely the Mogami stealth frigate, donated the Abukuma-class destroyer fleet to the Philippines, and planned to do the same, namely donating the Asagiri-class destroyer to Indonesia.

In a meeting in Tokyo (5/6/2026) Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin specifically discussed grants for warships and various weapons from Japan.

The problem is, most of the components of the weapons industry that come from heavy-grade rare earth minerals, the world's supply is controlled by China. Japan, not losing its mind, since 2011, Japan has invested in the Lynas Company, Australia which produces heavy-grade rare earth metals for weapons specifications.

The jogmec.go.jp website dated March 30, 2011 stated that Sojitz and JOGMEC agreed to invest capital in Lynas to supply rare earth metals to Japan. The Sojitz and Japan Oil, Gas, and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) corporations invested 250 million US dollars and received a minimum allocation of 8,500 tons of rare earth metals from Lynas. This amount is equivalent to 30 percent of all Japanese needs. Mitsubishi through Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) also acquired shares in Lynas in 2011, as reported by The Australian media on July 5, 2011.

MUFG is connected to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) which makes modern warships such as the Mogami Class frigates. The Australian 26 February 2026 reported, MHI built three frigates in Japan and three units in Australia which will be handed over to the buyer, the Australian Navy.

To supply magnets and rare earth metal-based components, MHI relies on supplies from Lynas. According to a tradingview.com report dated January 7, 2026, due to the ban on the export of rare earth metals from China to the Japanese weapons industry, suppliers outside China reaped the benefits.

Shares of Lynas Rare Earth Lt in Australia rose 16 percent, while Japanese company Toyo Engineering Corp rose 20 percent as it was judged to have successfully developed technology to mine rare earth metals from the seabed.

The Dangers of Active Radio

The supply of the needs of the Japanese weapons and industrial production triggered another problem, namely the health and safety of residents, especially in Pahang State, Malaysia. The health hazard was triggered by radioactive waste from the production of rare earth metals from the Lynas Rare Earth Malaysia Plant, in the Gebeng Industrial Park, which has been more than two decades in the demonstration of residents.

Before it stood, local residents had held a demonstration because of fear of exposure to active radio. Furthermore, after operating in November 2012, various elements of the residents routinely demanded the closure of Lynas Rare Earth in the China-Malaysia Industrial Park, Gebeng.

In the production phase of the first stage of rare earth metals, radioactive waste is always produced which is dangerous for the community. This has already happened in Malaysia in the 1980s.

Singapore's Channel News Asia (CNA) news agency in a November 5, 2023 broadcast titled Malaysian City Still Haunted by Radioactive Pollution tells the story of Mitsubishi Chemicals' radioactive waste residue in Bukit Merah, Ipoh State, Malaysia, which was closed in 1984.

The active radioactive waste at Bukit Merah is the remains of the production of rare earth metals carried out by the Mitsubishi Chemicals corporation in the 1980s. The Bukit and the large lake of the former mine and waste storage have caused residents' anxiety until now.

"Radioactive pollution in Bukit Merah resulted in children being born with disabilities and various health disorders. This is our concern that will be repeated in our area in Pahang," said Tan Bun Teet (78), an environmental activist in Kuantan, Pahang State.

According to Tan, who was contacted from Jakarta, long-term exposure to active radio can trigger cancer, children are born with disabilities with a soft head (Jelly Fish Head) and other problems.

Long-term exposure to active radio is indeed dangerous for humans. For example, the location of the United States nuclear bomb test in the Marshall Islands, which ended in 1956, has resulted in 80 percent of the local population suffering from various types of cancer.

Asked why there was not much coverage of the threat of active radio in Kuantan, Tan said the mass media in Malaysia was silenced and the business involved important people.

Lynas's radioactive waste in Malaysia is stored in the open, exposed to the wind and rain. According to Tan, Lynas in Australia made a special dome to safely bury radioactive waste.

The Malaysian government in the extension of Lynas Rare Earth's operating license in March 2026 stated that Lynas must stop radioactive waste in 2031. In a report by The Edge Malaysia, Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MOSTI) Datuk Chang Lih Kang, in the Malaysian Parliament, March 2, 2026 confirmed that Lynas will operate in accordance with the rules for handling radioactive materials.

However, Malaysian environmental activists are still demanding that Lynas and the Malaysian Government bring the waste back to Australia because there is a suitable place to store radioactive waste there.