Japan to establish defence innovation technology institute in Tokyo

Japan’s Defense Ministry is preparing to launch a new research institute in Tokyo this October to develop cutting-edge defence technologies with the potential to transform future warfare. The institute, which will be housed at the Ebisu Garden Place commercial complex, is inspired by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and will collaborate closely with the private sector. With a team of around 100 personnel, half of whom will be experts from outside the ministry, the institute will focus on key areas like AI, robotics, and advanced particle research.

The new institute, provisionally named the Defense Innovation Technology Institute, aims to drive ‘breakthrough research’ by deploying innovative defence technologies within three years using existing technologies. Projects may include the development of autonomous uncrewed vehicles and advanced submarine detection methods. Additionally, the institute will serve as a think tank, monitoring global trends in cutting-edge technologies and managing subsidies for dual-use technologies that have applications in both defence and civilian sectors.

The initiative is part of Japan’s broader National Defense Strategy, which emphasises finding and developing multi-use technologies to bolster the country’s defence capabilities. The creation of the institute, backed by a 21.7 billion yen budget for the current fiscal year, marks a significant step in Japan’s largest defence buildup since World War II, driven by concerns over growing influence from China and nuclear and missile threats from North Korea.