Jakarta, IO – On June 28, the Japanese Defense Ministry unveiled Defense Technology Guideline 2023, which serves as a comprehensive framework outlining Japan’s objectives, roadmap, and key tasks for advancing defense technology. This guideline represents a significant part of Japan’s national security strategy and provides a strategic direction for the country’s military technology innovation and development over the medium and long term.
The main purpose of the Guideline is to consolidate the various requirements for defense technology development found in other documents, such as the National Security Strategy and the Defense Buildup Program. By aligning the Defense Ministry’s perspective with that of other government entities and the defense industry, it aims to foster a collaborative approach towards medium- and long-term technology research and development (R&D) efforts.
Comprising six chapters, the Guideline emphasizes three key points. Firstly, it delineates the target of defense technology development in Japan. The country has adopted a dual-track strategy: in the next five to ten years, it aims to incorporate technologies directly relevant to potential adversaries and those crucial for national security into its weapons and equipment; and over the longer term, beyond ten years, it aims to advance the utilization of next-generation disruptive technologies, which can be applied in both military and civilian domains, harnessing their combat capabilities.
Secondly, the Guideline highlights twelve key areas of technological development, categorized as “Physical Area,” “Information Area,” and “Cognitive Area.” These areas encompass vital aspects, such as automation and autonomy, new combat platforms, new energy sources, advanced materials, sensor technology, advanced computing, and cyberspace defense.
Thirdly, the Guideline introduces three policies to stimulate defense technology innovation: Creating, Nurturing, and Understanding. Under the Creating policy, the defense policy and operation departments will collaborate to analyze and outline future war scenarios and the direction of technological development. Simultaneously, the existing defense technology innovation mechanism will be reformed to fully harness the potential and vitality of defense technology R&D and innovation. Notably, Japan intends to establish its own agency, inspired by the United States’ Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), to oversee military technology innovation and focus on developing groundbreaking hardware.
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With the revision and enhancement of the three security documents, Japan has surpassed its previous limit of defense spending, which had been capped at 1% of GDP. The additional funds will primarily be directed towards the development of military technologies, ensuring ample resources for the competition in next-generation disruptive military technology. In a related development, the Japanese Defense Ministry’s budget for military technology R&D in fiscal year 2023 has nearly doubled, and the projected total R&D expenditure over the next five years is expected to reach $26 billion, a 4.5-fold increase over the current amount. Mishima Shigenori, the chief technology officer at the Defense Ministry’s equipment department, emphasized that Japan is significantly boosting its investment in military R&D, with multiple cutting-edge projects advancing simultaneously.
The release of the latest Guideline aims to provide long-term guidance to Japan’s defense industry regarding technological innovation and the R&D of weapons and equipment. It is worth noting that the document references several assertive military technologies, reflecting Tokyo’s intent to steer the defense industry towards an assault- and combat-oriented approach to technology development. This shift in attitude and its potential consequences merit close attention.
Raihan Ronodipuro is a Master’s Degree student in the School of Public Policy & Management at Tsinghua University, China. Previously, he was awarded the Chinese MOFCOM Scholarship and earned a Master of Law in International Relations from the School of International and Public Affairs at Jilin University in China. He serves as an Associate Researcher in the Department of Politics and Security at the Center for Indonesia-China Studies (CICS). He is presently a member of the International Relations Commission at the Directorate of Research and Studies for the Overseas Indonesian Students’ Association Alliance (OISAA) 2022/2023.