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11h ago

Japan Hosts Record-Breaking Arms Show, Signaling Shift in Defense Strategy

The DSEI Japan 2025 exhibition near Tokyo highlights the nation's growing push for global defense cooperation and advanced technology exports.

A concept model of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP)'s fighter jet is displayed during the Defence Security Equipment International (DSEI) Japan at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, east of Tokyo, Japan May 21, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
A mock model of a railgun is displayed during the Defence Security Equipment International (DSEI) Japan at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, east of Tokyo, Japan May 21, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
A person stands next to a mock model of the FFM "Upgraded Mogami" class displayed during the Defence Security Equipment International (DSEI) Japan at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, east of Tokyo, Japan May 21, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
A mock model of the FFM "Upgraded Mogami" class is displayed during the Defence Security Equipment International (DSEI) Japan at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, east of Tokyo, Japan May 21, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

Overview

  • The DSEI Japan 2025 exhibition, Japan's largest-ever arms show, features 471 firms from 33 countries, including 169 Japanese companies, doubling the domestic participation compared to 2023.
  • Defense Minister Gen Nakatani emphasized the event as a platform to foster international partnerships and bolster Japan's defense industry innovation and exports.
  • Exhibits include advanced technologies such as lasers, electromagnetic railguns, and the Mogami warship, which Japan is showcasing for potential export to Australia.
  • Japan's gradual departure from its post-WWII pacifist stance includes lifting an export ban in 2014 and engaging in multinational projects like the GCAP fighter jet program with Britain and Italy.
  • Amid regional tensions involving China, North Korea, and Russia, Japan is leveraging its industrial base and alliances with the U.S. and Europe to expand its defense capabilities and global market presence.