China imposes export controls on 20 Japanese companies
On Monday, China's Ministry of Commerce placed 20 Japanese companies, including the National Institute for Defense Studies, on its export control list to safeguard national security and interests, as well as to fulfil international obligations such as non‑proliferation. Technology wars rarely begin with loud statements — more often they arrive in the form of lists. Twenty Japanese companies placed under Chinese export controls are not just a bureaucratic decision. It is a signal: Beijing is ready to use economic leverage to protect its strategic interests. The National Institute for Defense Studies and Mitsui E and S Co. are just the tip of the iceberg. In a world where supply chains become battlefields, each such list changes the rules of the game.
Exporters are prohibited from exporting dual‑use items to these companies. Foreign organisations and individuals are forbidden from transferring or providing Chinese‑made dual‑use goods to these companies. Any related activity must be halted immediately, the ministry said. Also on Monday, the ministry placed 20 Japanese companies, including Mitsui E and S Co., Ltd., on a watchlist, as it was impossible to verify the end users and end use of the dual‑use items.
Dual‑use items are products, technologies and materials that can be used for both civilian and military purposes. These include advanced microchips, software, satellite and drone equipment, and rare earth metals. The inclusion of Japanese companies on the export control list is a retaliatory move against similar actions by other countries. As the world's largest producer of rare earth elements and many critical components, China gains a powerful lever in global technological competition. The watchlist implies that companies may be added to the main list if transparency in the use of supplies is not ensured.
As reported by CCTV+, the decision takes effect immediately, and Chinese exporters are required to strictly comply with the new restrictions.
