Overview
- Rakuten confirmed on Monday that it is acting as the local intermediary to finalise talks between Munich-based Helsing and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces while field tests of the HX-2 run through the end of September.
- Helsing's HX-2 is an AI-enabled strike drone that the company says can search for and re-identify targets without a continuous data link and has a stated range of about 100 kilometers and a weight near 12 kilograms.
- Helsing, founded in 2021, has supplied drones to Ukraine with German government backing and completed a large funding round this year after striking an initial agreement for Japanese use earlier in 2026 with help from a local broker.
- Rakuten says it intends to use its corporate network to help startups navigate Japan's complex procurement systems and has already arranged demonstrations for firms such as the Ukrainian-linked Swarmer.
- The engagement follows Japan's recent boost in defence spending and relaxed export rules and could speed wider adoption of unmanned systems if the JGSDF approves the HX-2 after trials, which would affect how Tokyo equips forces for island and coastal defense.