TOKYO
Japan is considering adopting a system from US firm Palantir Technologies for the Self-Defense Forces’ command-and-control operations, a plan that has fueled calls to develop a homegrown artificial intelligence (AI) system for the military, Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported on Friday.
Defense Ministry sources told the newspaper that Palantir’s Maven Smart System is being evaluated for the role. Palantir supplies advanced data analytics, AI and surveillance software to governments and militaries worldwide.
The company has faced widespread criticism for its contracts with the Pentagon and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as well as a strategic partnership with Israel’s Defense Ministry since 2024 to support “war-related missions” in Gaza, where UN experts and human rights groups have accused it of enabling AI-driven targeting systems.
However, government and ruling coalition insiders are urging the development of a domestic AI command-and-control system over the medium to long term, citing concerns over dependence on a foreign provider and the protection of sensitive military information, the newspaper said.
Some officials have proposed initially combining Japanese and foreign systems for the SDF before eventually transitioning to a domestically developed platform, according to the report.
The development comes as the Japanese government plans to revise three key national security documents in 2026 to incorporate AI into the SDF’s command-and-control decision-support system.
There was no official confirmation from authorities on the matter.
