By Wang Min and Dou Tianyang
Recently, Japan announced that it will accelerate unmanned and automated development within the Self-Defense Forces, aiming to build what it calls an "organization most skilled at employing unmanned equipment." According to foreign media reports, Japan's intelligence-gathering satellite network, known as a "satellite constellation," has been operational since April. This satellite constellation can provide observation data for unmanned equipment, enabling it to obtain real-time target location information.
Analysts point out that Japan's heavy investment in unmanned equipment is aimed at developing offensive military capabilities and promoting the transformation of its force structure. Japan has engaged in a series of reckless moves, including establishing institutions for the research, development, and application of unmanned equipment, planning the introduction of long-range attack drones with a range of more than 1,000 kilometers, allocating huge budgets, and announcing the use of civilian production facilities to develop military drones. These moves go far beyond the country's claimed need to adapt to changes in the form of warfare and address domestic manpower shortages, and instead carry strong offensive implications.
The use of unmanned equipment in regional conflicts has become an important factor driving Japan's military transformation toward unmanned warfare. In recent years, low-cost drones flying across battlefields have effectively struck high-value targets and become true "game changers" in modern warfare. Japan is attempting to replicate this asymmetric combat model of "winning through quantity" to enhance its ability to respond to new forms of warfare. As a result, a clear and highly ambitious roadmap has rapidly unfolded through massive budget investment. On one hand, Japan continues to procure high-end, long-endurance armed reconnaissance drones such as the MQ-9B, strengthening its capabilities for wide-area surveillance and precision strikes. It is also actively introducing mature products from countries such as Türkiye and Ukraine to pave the way for the future localization of drone production. On the other hand, Japan plans to make full use of civilian production facilities and establish an industrial system capable of mass-producing unmanned equipment through measures such as "government-owned, privately operated" arrangements. This strong pursuit of quantity is essentially preparation for a "possible conflict" and even for a prolonged war of attrition.
In terms of operational concepts, Japan is also focusing its force development on manned-unmanned teaming and cross-domain coordination. One of the core goals of its joint development of next-generation fighter aircraft with the UK and Italy is to create "loyal wingman" drones capable of operating alongside manned fighter jets. Japan is also planning to develop unmanned equipment that can be carried by submarines and operate both underwater and on the surface so as to achieve multi-domain coordination.
What is particularly alarming is that Japan's development of unmanned combat capabilities carries a distinctly offensive character. According to media reports, Japan is shifting the focus of its unmanned equipment deployment toward the Nansei Islands, attempting to build the so-called "SHIELD," a multilayer coastal offense-defense system. Though called a "shield," it is in fact a "spear." Once the drones Japan plans to introduce, with ranges exceeding 1,000 kilometers, are combined with the already deployed Type 25 surface-to-ship missiles and the imported Tomahawk cruise missiles, they will form an offensive system that goes far beyond the scope of tactical weapons and enables forward deterrence.
Japan's development of unmanned offensive military capabilities is nothing less than a dangerous gamble. Such a fundamental shift in its defense policy will only drive the country into an even more dangerous abyss. Reckless moves will inevitably invite countermeasures. Countries in the region and the international community remain highly vigilant regarding Japan's actions.