Ministerial Committee Eyes Help of Nine Private-Sector Fields to Boost Defense Capabilities
Japan's ministerial committee, led by Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, has initiated discussions on leveraging nine fields, including "information security," "automation and unmanned operations," "artificial intelligence and data processing," and "energy" from the private sector to enhance the nation's defense capabilities.
The committee aims to break down bureaucratic barriers and create a comprehensive defense system by collaborating across government bodies. It plans to work closely with relevant ministries and agencies to identify research institutes and entities possessing technologies crucial for defense.
Additionally, the committee proposed building and maintaining "specially designated important hub airports and seaports" to support the Self-Defense Forces and Japan Coast Guard in times of contingency, bridging the gap in Japan's "dual use" of private-sector technologies for defense policies.