According to Kyodo News, on July 1st, Japan's Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba attended what was touted as the largest startup exchange event in Japan.

In his speech, he claimed that Japan's defense industry would open its doors to startups, hoping these companies could leverage their own technologies to strengthen Japan's military capabilities.

This move marks a clear shift in Japan's approach to national defense construction, with the core intent being to stimulate innovation in defense manufacturing and rebuild the national defense industrial base through "cross-sector integration."

The traditional Japanese defense industry has long relied on a few major conglomerates like Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, suffering from rigid technological pathways and high costs. Opening the door to startups is essentially an attempt to break the closed "government-business iron triangle," utilizing the agility and low trial-and-error costs of startups to rapidly convert cutting-edge civilian technologies—such as AI, drones, and quantum technologies—into military applications.

Due to the constraints of the pacifist constitution and export restrictions, Japan’s defense contracts are limited, leading to a shrinking supply chain. By absorbing startups, Japan not only expands its pool of defense suppliers and increases wartime production redundancy but also aims to lower entry barriers—such as streamlining qualification reviews—to enable small teams with unique technologies to participate in national defense projects.

This strategy complements Japan’s recent push toward an “offensive defense” doctrine. Developing hypersonic weapons, next-generation radar systems, and cyber warfare capabilities requires substantial software and digital talent—precisely where startups hold a competitive edge.

Shigeru Ishiba’s endorsement of startups may appear to be about technological innovation and industrial upgrading, but in reality, it serves as a dangerous signal that Japan, under external sanctions and domestic economic pressures, is attempting to fully drive national "re-militarization" and military expansion through institutional relaxation and capital injection.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869595439603712/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.