Japan’s desire to deepen defence partnerships and contribute to a stronger defence industrial/technological base in the region were key themes in DSEI Japan 2025, a three-day defence exhibition which opened on 21 May in Chiba, Japan.
The third incarnation of DSEI Japan, touted as the nation’s largest integrated defence and security exhibition, featured over 400 exhibits from Japanese and international defence firms, and almost 40 conference, seminars and keynote speeches. This year’s speakers include Japan’s Minister of Defence Gen Nakatani, ambassadors from Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom and other nations, and was also visited by Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishida, reflecting the considering gravity with which the event is viewed by the Japanese government.
Australian firms had a strong presence in the event this year, with over 20 firms represented in the Australian pavilion. Sources noted strong interest in Australian exhibits, and indicated that a number of Australian participants, through the intermediary of Australian government and defence officials, had engaged with representatives from local defence industry firms including Mitsubishi Industrial.
Australia’s presence included a number of firms with established partnerships with Japan’s Ministry of Defence. Chris Ryan, Managing Director of Ryan Aerospace, stated that his firm has sold over 60 of its signature modular, reconfigurable mixed reality flight simulators to Japan for various fixed wing and helicopter platforms, and was optimistic about the prospect of increasing his foothold in the Japanese market. A spokesperson form DroneShield, which produces non-kinetic counter drone technology, said his company saw the event as an opportunity to “reinforce their successful relationship with [Japan’s] Ministry of Defence.”
Yet this year also featured many Australian newcomers to the region, as well as an unprecedented number of new exhibitors from Europe. A representative from an Australian drone technology producer claimed a growing sense of positivity about the Japanese market, citing Japan’s rising defence budget, growing interest in automation, and aspirations for closer defence and trade ties with Australia. A spokesperson from SubSea Craft, a UK based maritime technology SME, similarly noted that developments in British-Japan defence ties were drawing growing interest in the Japanese market from UK firms. A seminar hosted by Cohort Plc, a group of seven defence technology providers based in the UK and Europe, further pointed out that evolving global threats were creating a common set of maritime challenges across disparate geographies, and required technological solutions beyond the capacity of individual countries – a message reinforced in a keynote speech by the United Kingdom’s Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry Maria Eagle.
The rising emphasis on the event within Japan comes against the backdrop of a number of policy and regulatory changes in the nation aimed at deepening Japan’s defence and defence industry supply chain partnerships with like-minded nations in and beyond the Indo-Pacific, including specific legislation in relation to the Japan-United Kingdom-Italy joint Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) fighter project and Japan’s plans to sell Mogami class frigates to Australia, as well as general regulatory changes aimed at aligning cybersecurity capacities with partners, and loosening regulations on the export and transfer of military equipment.
Representatives from the Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA), a co-sponsor of the event, were asked for information on the success rate of foreign bidders for Japanese defence tenders but were unable to provide the pertinent data on short notice.