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🇸🇬 Singapore /Conflict & Security

Japan defense firms boost drone development amid new strategy

From The Straits Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Japan's major defense firms are accelerating drone development to align with the government's new strategy emphasizing unmanned systems and AI.
  • This global race for drone technology is influenced by the war in Ukraine, but also raises concerns about civilian casualties and infrastructure damage.
  • Partnerships between defense contractors and civilian drone makers in Japan face public scrutiny, impacting acceptance of unmanned warfare advancements.

Major Japanese defense companies, including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, are intensifying their development of drones. This strategic shift aligns with the government's new defense strategy, which prioritizes unmanned systems and artificial intelligence.

We developed it in just three months through close collaboration between our research and business divisions.

— Eisaku ItoMitsubishi Heavy President Eisaku Ito described the rapid development of their prototype interceptor drone.

The global arms race for drone technology has been significantly amplified by the conflict in Ukraine. However, the increasing deployment of drones has also sparked concerns regarding civilian casualties and damage to critical infrastructure.

In Japan, the collaboration between established defense contractors and civilian drone manufacturers has come under public scrutiny. This has raised questions about public acceptance of the industry's move towards unmanned warfare.

The company can move to mass production faster than startups by drawing on its existing expertise, including helicopter technology.

— Eisaku ItoMitsubishi Heavy President Eisaku Ito explained the company's advantage in drone production.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries announced in May the development of a prototype interceptor drone designed to neutralize incoming attack drones. President Eisaku Ito highlighted the company's ability to expedite mass production by leveraging existing expertise, such as helicopter technology. He also noted that data and battlefield experiences from ongoing conflicts are fueling rapid innovation, with plans to produce various drones in small batches and continuously refine their specifications.

The companies are considering pitching the system to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

— UnknownThis refers to the potential use of the submarine-detection system developed by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Airbus.

Other companies are also actively involved. Kawasaki Heavy Industries is collaborating with European aircraft maker Airbus SE on an unmanned aircraft system for submarine detection. Startups like Terra Drone and Rakuten Group are also developing defense products, with Rakuten partnering with a German startup to assist the Defense Ministry. However, Rakuten's involvement drew criticism from Catalog House, which subsequently removed its products from Rakuten's online marketplace. The Japanese government officially embraces this technological advancement, with its 2026 defense white paper calling for the adoption of cutting-edge private-sector technology to bolster the nation's defense industrial base.

countries are pursuing “new ways of warfare” and calls for the active adoption of cutting-edge private-sector technology to strengthen Japan’s defence industrial base.

— UnknownThis quote summarizes the content of Japan's 2026 defense white paper.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Straits Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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