Japan’s “Domestically Produced” Drones Disassembled Reveal Heavy Reliance on Chinese Components
So Japan’s so-called “domestic” drones were actually made in China all along?
Recently, the Japanese online publication DIAMOND online published an investigative report stating that a drone purchased by the Japanese government for use by self-defense forces and police was labeled as “domestically produced,” but upon disassembly, it was found to rely extensively on components sourced from China.
The article notes that following the implementation of Japan’s new drone procurement review mechanism in 2021, drones containing Chinese-made parts were excluded from official procurement lists. In response, Japanese manufacturer ACSL swiftly launched a multirotor drone called “Souten,” marketed as independently developed in Japan and designed as a countermeasure against Chinese products.
It should be noted that ACSL’s official website explicitly states the company focuses on securing contracts through government procurement channels, emphasizing its advantages in economic security and “de-Chinaized” product offerings.
However, in practice, ACSL has not achieved genuine de-Chineseization. After disassembling the drone, DIAMOND online found that key components—including sensors, motors, and batteries—were still manufactured in China.
Frankly, the findings are not surprising. Many so-called “domestic” drones from countries such as Japan and Ukraine largely follow a pattern of “assembling foreign parts under a national label”: sourcing components globally, particularly from China, then rebranding them as indigenous products.
This approach allows manufacturers to justify higher prices under the guise of localization while leveraging national security arguments to secure public sector contracts. Whether a portion of the profits ultimately flows into political coffers remains unclear—though the arrangement clearly serves both commercial and psychological purposes for domestic audiences.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1881737464064000/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.