Whole of Government

Summary

日本が昨年改定した「防衛力整備計画（DBP）」は、同時期に改定された二つの戦略文書に沿って自衛隊の能力を潜在的な抑止力から運用の現実へとパラダイムシフトする道筋を示しました。強力で競争力のある産業基盤は、それ自体が肝心な防衛力となります。

This webinar is a candid conversation among government, industry, think tank and the military. Most measures on acquisition and industrial base matters discussed in the DBP can be found in earlier JMoD policy documents such as JMoD’s “Strategy on Defense Production and Technology Base” published in June 2014. But key questions remain, how to significantly strengthen Japan’s defense industrial base (DIB). How far will proposed measures for procurement reform strengthen the DIB?  How can the government incentivize industry to invest in future development and production?  What can the government do to encourage new entrants? Can Japanese companies use more of their high-end commercial capabilities in defense?

On April 27, the Lower House Committee on National Security passed a bill to strengthen the development and production bases of defense equipment. It includes measures such as the state’s shouldering expenses incurred by defense equipment manufacturers in improving production efficiency and the state’s subsidizing costs for exporting defense equipment.

It also includes a provision that allows the state to “nationalize” production facilities if firms cannot continue operations due to financial difficulties. This leads to other means to build capacity, such as foreign direct investment and a restructuring of the industry itself to be more efficient and competitive.

Are there lessons to learn from other countries, such as South Korea which has become a significant exporter of defense equipment?