This is an unprecedented time for the Japanese defence industry, an industry primed and ready to surge to the forefront of the global defence trade. Led by the Executive Committee, consisting of many of those responsible for the opening of these commerce channels, this conference represents an unmissable opportunity to discover how global industry can capitalise on these developments.

Taking place over all three days of the show, the DSEI Japan conference will consider the key issues faced by the countries of the Indo-Pacific region as they work to promote stabilization and cooperation between nations.

With a record-breaking increase in the Japanese defence budget to $46 billion, Japan’s engagement with external partners is set to increase dramatically. The renovation of their military forces, bringing them in line with regional capabilities, necessitates greater integration with international trade. It also poses significant challenges around achieving operational capability in key areas, and ensuring interoperability with existing platforms.

Responding to this new growth, DSEI Japan 2021 will examine the challenges of delivering security in Asia and its surrounding waters. This encompasses alliances and cooperation both within the region and further afield. The conference will examine how new and emerging technologies may be deployed particularly within the disciplines of space and cyber warfare. This includes an update on regional defensive and offensive capabilities within these domains, an assessment of available countermeasures, and critical lines of development for cyber and data-enabled capability that will shape future warfare strategies.

The conference will also consider how developments in established technologies are forging new ways of employing capabilities with the more traditional disciplines of missile defence and maritime strategy. This includes an assessment of modular design and deployment of capability, the balance of investment in new/replacement programmes, the fit-for-purpose status and resiliency of existing platforms, and the advantages and constraints around the employment of autonomous systems. 

These challenges are not unique to the Indo-Pacific, and the development of deeper alliances with Southeast Asia and Europe is vital for enabling cost-effective and efficient solutions. There is much to be gained from technological exchange, but challenges remain on how to effectively do business with Japanese companies on a global stage.