Japan mulls use of domestic AI in SDF command system

The Japanese government is considering incorporating domestically developed artificial intelligence into the Self-Defense Forces’ command and control system, informed sources have said.

The government hopes the move will speed up and improve the accuracy of decision-making by SDF commanders while maintaining AI sovereignty, at a time when countries around the world are rushing to adapt to new ways of warfare.

It is expected to include the policy in the planned update by year-end of its three key national security-related documents.

AI would be incorporated into the SDF’s command and control system for the first time. The government is considering positioning domestic AI at the core of the command and control system to maintain Japan’s autonomy while linking it with cutting-edge AI developed in the United States.

The move would also be aimed at beefing up the coordinated response capabilities of the SDF and the U.S. military.

A system developed by Tokyo-based startup Sakana AI is being floated as a candidate AI model to be incorporated into the SDF’s command and control system.

According to the Defense Ministry, many countries are speeding up the development of AI-equipped decision support systems.

The U.S. military has adopted Palantir Technologies’ Maven Smart System, which it said has reduced the time between target detection and attack from several hours to a few minutes.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a statement in January that he expects the U.S. military to “become an ’AI-first’ warfighting force across all domains.”

Meanwhile, Japan’s SDF has been slower to adopt AI. In materials published Friday, the Defense Ministry stressed the need to thoroughly overhaul the SDF’s system, arguing that the force is at risk of “falling behind in the speed and accuracy of decision-making” and warning of “gaps in Japan-U.S. cooperation.”