Promoting dual use tech investment and strengthening international defence industry cooperation were among the key defence policy priorities of Japan’s newly inaugurated Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who was sworn in to office on October 21.
Takaichi, most recently set out her defence policy agenda during her campaign to become President of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in September.
Those priorities, which are largely aligned with the recommendations of Japan’s 2022 National Defence Strategy (NDS), are believed to be widely supported by her party. However, their fate may ultimately be determined by other parties, given the LDP’s legislative minority.
In her speech, Takaichi affirmed strategies to modernise the military to respond to new methods of warfare – including space, cyber, UAVs and hypersonic missile threats – as well as to bolster personnel numbers by improving working conditions and career avenues.
She also said that Japan should set out to strengthen the nation’s resilience, including defending undersea cables and satellites, and mandating the inclusion of underground shelters in major construction projects.
However, her major focus was on reinforcing the importance of defence and dual-use technology research, and in particular Japan’s participation in international defence technology partnerships.
“Developing defence-related industries with [investments in] dual use technologies whose spin-offs are directed to the civilian sphere will greatly contribute to economic growth,” she stated, pointing to previous instances of the civilian adaption of military technology including the Radio Frequency ID (RFID) tag and collision avoidance systems in commercial vehicles.
She had previously called bolstering defence spending a necessary investment for Japan’s future economic growth, adding this growth could conversely help secure the necessary tax revenues to strengthen defence.
Takaichi added that she aspired to deepen her country’s cooperation with what could be called Japan’s quasi-allies, such as the UK, Italy and Australia, with whom it is working together on the development and procurement of defence equipment.
She said that Japan’s cooperation with the United Kingdom and Italy on the GCAP 6th generation stealth fighter project may not only cement defence relations with Europe, but could give rise to new technologies and industries with broader commercial applications and economic benefits for the country.