![\"Helsing](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/A6F21AAF680B10725D30F9284CAB5E7BFB5BE81FD16C190A6758FF1F79055B0D\/subgraphmysterio\/resizefit_w960;quality_80;format_webp\/https:%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Ftechradar_949%2Ff87979234a48aeaa7229989470080fba.png\")
<\/a> Credit: Bloomberg <\/p>\nRakuten is helping Helsing navigate Japan’s complicated military procurement system <\/p>\n
Helsing’s HX-2 strike drone is already undergoing trials with Japan’s military <\/p>\n
Japan’s expanding defence budget is attracting overseas military technology companies <\/p>\n
Rakuten has revealed it is now working with German defense AI startup Helsing to bring the company’s military drones into Japan. <\/p>\n
The Tokyo-based ecommerce and finance conglomerate is acting as the local broker between Helsing and Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force. <\/p>\n
Field tests of Helsing’s HX-2 strike drone began earlier this year and will run through the end of September 2026. <\/p>\n
Rakuten’s role in the deal <\/p>\n
Helsing says it reached an “initial agreement” for the Japanese government to use its systems earlier in 2026, brokered through an unnamed local partner. <\/p>\n
That partner was Rakuten, according to Nikkei, which first reported the tie-up between the two companies. <\/p>\n
Rakuten has little defense industry experience of its own, but it wants to help more startups enter Japan’s defense sector. <\/p>\n
Hideaki Mukai, Chief of Staff to Rakuten’s CEO, said startups face structural barriers including complex procurement systems and difficulty reaching government agencies. <\/p>\n
“Encouraging greater participation for startups in Japan’s defense industry presents an important opportunity to strengthen the country’s defense capabilities,” he said. <\/p>\n
Mukai added Rakuten hopes to bridge these gaps by connecting startups and emerging technologies with the needs of government agencies. <\/p>\n
At the moment, there is no official confirmation from Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force about the arrangement. <\/p>\n
A pattern for Rakuten and a market for Helsing <\/p>\n
Rakuten previously helped Ukrainian drone software maker Swarmer demonstrate its technology to a unit of Japan’s military in late April. <\/p>\n
That test used AI software to coordinate a swarm of drones in a seek-and-hit mission over Japanese territory. <\/p>\n
Rakuten founder Hiroshi Mikitani has been among Japan’s most vocal supporters of Ukraine since the war began in 2022. <\/p>\n
His company has also helped other Ukrainian defense firms exhibit their products at arms fairs held across Japan. <\/p>\n
Japan’s rising military spending, combined with its recent easing of arms export restrictions, has drawn strong interest from overseas defense firms. <\/p>\n
Many of these companies are now searching for local partners capable of navigating Japan’s complex procurement environment. <\/p>\n
Helsing was founded in 2021 and initially focused on building AI software to analyze battlefield data for clients. <\/p>\n
The company has since expanded into autonomous strike drones<\/a>, underwater surveillance systems, and military aircraft applications worldwide. <\/p>\n It holds contracts with several European governments and supplies Ukraine with drones funded by the German government. <\/p>\n In July 2026, the Munich-based firm raised $1.8 billion in a single funding round, its largest to date. <\/p>\n That round cemented Helsing’s position as Europe’s best-funded defense technology startup, ahead of rivals across the continent. <\/p>\n