Abstract

As seen in its 2022 ‘Three National Security Documents’, Japan has not abandoned its ambitions to preserve an indigenous defence production capacity, even if accepting the need for significant modifications of its traditional model. This seminar utilises Japan’s case to address the related questions of how ‘tier-two’ states attempt to navigate—effectively or otherwise—approaches for developing an indigenous defence production base, including: exploitation of the interface of domestic civilian and military industrial sectors; selection of key technologies and sectors for prioritisation; and minimising over-dependence on, and linking with, foreign partners for the importation and development of weaponry. Although the seminar considers Japan’s defence production ambitions across a full range of weapons platforms and the extent of its model in meeting national strategic and industrial objectives, it places particular focus on examining Japanese interest in fighter plane production from the post-war to the contemporary era and the new Global Combat Air Programme for a sixth-generation fighter—involving Japan, the UK and Italy, and potentially other partners—as a way to break into the ‘tier-one’ of arms producers.

About the Speaker

Christopher Hughes is Professor of International Politics and Japanese Studies in the Department of Politics and International Studies (PAIS), University of Warwick. His research and teaching interests are in the areas of Japan’s international relations; Japanese security and defence policy; the US-Japan alliance; Japan’s defence industry; Asia-Pacific regionalism, security, and political-economy; military technology; and alliance politics. He was formerly Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education), Chair of the Faculty of Social Sciences, and Head of Department in PAIS at Warwick. He has been a British Academy Postdoctoral Research Fellow; Research Fellow, University of Hiroshima; Visiting Associate Professor and Asahi Shimbun Visiting Chair of Mass Media and Politics, Faculty of Law, University of Tokyo; Visiting Professor at Waseda University; Visiting Professor at the Free University of Berlin; Edwin O. Reischauer Visiting Professor of Japanese Studies at the Department of Government, Harvard University; and Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Nissan Institute, University of Oxford. He is a Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. He has also held associate fellow status at Chatham House and the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Chris is a fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, and Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Chris holds degrees from the Universities of Oxford (BA); Rochester, New York (MA); and Sheffield (MA and PhD). Chris is co-editor of The Pacific Review, one of the leading journals focussing on the international politics of the Asia-Pacific. He has authored over 60 refereed journal articles and book chapters, and five monographs. His latest monograph is Japan as a Global Military Power: New Capabilities, Alliance Integration, Bilateralism-Plus (Cambridge University Press, 2022).