Japan shifts to AI and drones as defence paper warns of China threat — SkimNews
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- Japan's Cabinet adopted a 598-page defence white paper on Tuesday urging faster adoption of AI, drones, and long-range missiles, drawing explicit lessons from drone warfare in Ukraine and the Middle East.
- China was named Japan's biggest strategic challenge; the paper noted that during Chinese aircraft carrier drills near southwestern Japan last December, Chinese aircraft locked radar onto Japanese planes — a step considered preparation for missile firing.
- North Korea's rapid missile development, including hypersonic arsenals, and its growing military ties with Russia were described in the paper as an "increasingly serious and pressing threat."
- Japan's Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency selected four drone makers from 38 applicants for a rapid development programme, with systems scheduled for navy testing in early August before final selection.
- Toshiba announced plans to jointly develop combat drones with startup Pro Drone, reflecting the paper's call to boost domestic arms production as Japan's commercial drone market remains dominated by Chinese imports.
- China's Ministry of National Defence spokesperson Chen Xi rejected parts of the white paper as "rife with false narratives," accusing Japan of using the document as "an excuse to ease restrictions on its military buildup."
- Japan is pursuing major defence export deals — including joint development and transfer of 11 upgraded Mogami-class frigates to Australia, similar talks with New Zealand, and retired destroyers to the Philippines — following its scrapping of the ban on lethal weapons exports.
Why it matters: Japan is accelerating its break from post-WWII pacifism — fast-tracking combat drones (four makers chosen from 38, navy testing by August) and scrapping its lethal-weapons export ban to supply Mogami-class frigates to Australia. China's rejection of the paper as "rife with false narratives" signals both economies are hardening positions over Taiwan.
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