From 16 to 23 May 2026, students in the Defence and Economic Security (DSE) major in the 5e session of the IHEDN led a study mission to Japan, between Tokyo, Osaka and Kobe.
Why Japan?
For a long time, Japan's post-World War II posture was one of pacifism, but its defence and security strategy is now undergoing major change.
Faced with the rise of China, tensions in the China Sea, threats from North Korea and the challenges of industrial and technological dependency, Japan is gradually strengthening its military, industrial and strategic capabilities.
For IHEDN auditors, this mission represented a unique opportunity to study :
- the evolution of japan's strategic posture
- increasing integration between defence and economic security
- industrial and technological sovereignty policies
- energy issues and the supply of critical resources
- geopolitical balances in East Asia and the Indo-Pacific region
- Franco-Japanese cooperation in strategic and technological areas.
A week of strategic exchanges and immersion in the field
Throughout the mission, the auditors met a wide range of institutional, diplomatic, industrial and academic players in order to gain a better understanding of Japan's strategic choices in the face of contemporary challenges.
Some of the main topics covered include
- The strengthening of Japanese military capabilities and the evolution of defence doctrine
- The challenges of economic security and strategic sovereignty
- Industrial and technological dependence, particularly on rare earths and critical resources
- Strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific and rising regional tensions
- Franco-Japanese cooperation in defence, innovation and dual technologies
- Energy, industrial and logistics issues in a highly globalised economy.
This mission also gave the auditors access to a number of institutions and industrial sites, particularly in terms of Japanese strategy:
- The National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS)
- The Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA)
- Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC)
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA)
- The Joint Robotics Laboratory
- Airbus Helicopters
- The Riken Center and its supercomputing capabilities
- Kawasaki Heavy Industries
- Otowa Electric Company
- The Osaka military camp of the Japanese Ground Self-Defence Forces
- The port of Kobe, a key infrastructure for Japan's economic and logistics flows.
Understanding Japan's strategic transformation
In addition to the military aspects, this mission enabled us to gain a better understanding of how Japan is adapting its power model to the geopolitical changes taking place around the world.
Between technological sovereignty, economic resilience, industrial innovation and rising regional tensions, Japan is now emerging as a central player in the strategic balances of the 21stᵉ century.
A dense and immersive mission, offering listeners a concrete understanding of the new defence and economic security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
