What happened
The Japanese government is considering incorporating domestically developed artificial intelligence into the Self-Defense Forces' command and control system, with a system from Tokyo-based startup Sakana AI being floated as a candidate model. The policy is expected to be included in a planned update to Japan's three key national security-related documents by year-end.
Why it matters
The move aims to speed up and improve the accuracy of SDF commanders' decision-making while maintaining AI sovereignty—a priority as countries around the world adapt to new warfare methods. The Defense Ministry has warned that the SDF risks falling behind in decision-making speed and accuracy, and could face gaps in Japan-U.S. cooperation if it does not modernize.
What to watch
The U.S. military has already adopted Palantir Technologies' Maven Smart System, which reduced the time between target detection and attack from several hours to a few minutes. Japan's plan would position domestic AI at the core of the SDF system while linking it with cutting-edge U.S. AI to beef up coordinated response capabilities between the two militaries.
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Japan's military has historically lagged behind other major powers in adopting advanced technologies for warfighting, and the SDF's slow adoption of AI reflects this broader pattern. The Defense Ministry's frank acknowledgment—that the force risks falling behind in speed and accuracy of decision-making—signals a shift in how Tokyo views military modernization as strategically urgent. The integration of domestic AI rather than simply importing foreign systems reflects a dual concern: maintaining technological autonomy while keeping pace with allies. By anchoring the SDF command system to Sakana AI technology while linking it to cutting-edge U.S. systems, Japan aims to avoid dependency on foreign AI while ensuring interoperability with its primary security partner. This framing also aligns with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's January statement that the U.S. military expects to become an "AI-first" warfighting force—a posture Japan appears determined not to fall behind on.
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