Japan is going full steam in expanding its military use of uncrewed autonomous platforms and countering China’s. One policy has got this effort underway, and three more due this year will give a better idea of the shape of the effort.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s landslide 8 February victory has reshaped Japan’s domestic politics and put the Ministry of Defense on notice for significant reform ...
**STEELMAN**: Japan’s strategic pivot toward autonomous defense systems is a pragmatic response to evolving security threats, particularly China’s rapid militarization and the demonstrated effectiveness of low-cost drones in Ukraine and Iran. The Shield initiative reflects a calculated effort to leverage asymmetric capabilities, reducing reliance on expensive traditional defenses while addressing the financial strain of frequent fighter scrambles. The push for deeper U.S. collaboration and indus...