KEY POINTSSHIFT unit JADC launches support service for Japan’s defense supplier certification regimeService covers gap analysis, application documents, facility and system controls, and corrective actionsProgram targets companies handling classified defense work under a system introduced in July 2025
The service targets companies handling classified defense work under Japan’s supplier certification system, which took effect in July 2025. Photo by LYCS Architecture on Unsplash
LYCS Architecture
Japan Aerospace & Defense Consulting, a SHIFT Group company, has launched a service to help companies obtain contracts and certification under Japan’s defense business conformity supplier system, according to a statement released on July 3.
The new offering targets companies that do business involving classified information with the Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency, Japan’s defense procurement arm, as well as companies seeking to enter the defense sector. JADC said the service would support the establishment and strengthening of secrecy protection systems required under the regime.
Japan’s defense business conformity supplier system took effect in July 2025. The framework is designed to strengthen information protection and speed up and rationalize contract procedures for companies that handle, or intend to handle, confidential information in transactions with the agency.
Under the system, companies must put in place organizations, internal rules, employee training, facilities and information systems that meet prescribed secrecy protection standards. Certification eliminates the need for supplier-by-supplier approval for each procurement case, enabling earlier contract execution, simplified procedures for multiple contracts and a review of the frequency of security inspections.
JADC’s service covers gap analysis against the system’s requirements, support for drafting application documents and assistance through filing and corrective action, the company said. In an initial assessment phase, JADC examines eligibility against basic requirements including foreign capital ratios, board composition and legal compliance status.
The service also includes support for setting up secrecy protection organizations, internal regulations and employee training programs. Optional services include assistance with documentation for secrecy protection facilities and information systems.
For facilities, JADC supports preparations to meet requirements such as structures using steel plates at least 3.2 millimeters thick or equivalent strength, along with perimeter barriers and anti-intrusion measures. For information systems, the service includes support for segregating systems from external networks, tightening access controls, collecting and storing user logs and restricting the removal of devices, according to the release.
JADC also supports application procedures, discussions with the Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency, and corrective actions in response to findings. The service includes preparation for on-site audits by Japan’s Ministry of Defense, including operational checks of secrecy controls, mock interviews and support for improvement plans.
SHIFT entered the defense sector in 2022 and established JADC in April 2025 as a consulting company focused on the field. JADC is headquartered in Tokyo’s Minato ward and is led by President Hideo Mori.
According to the release, the company aims through the new service to support businesses transitioning from earlier special contract clauses and companies newly entering defense work, contributing to stronger secrecy controls across Japan’s domestic defense industry and deeper public-private cooperation.