Japan, US risk losing military tech edge to China, Tokyo official says
- China’s ‘technological revolution’ is a threat to democratic countries, says Suzuki Atsuo, commissioner of agency overseeing military R&D
- Washington and Tokyo should step up cooperation to maintain their supremacy, he says
The stark warning, issued by Suzuki Atsuo, of Japan’s agency overseeing military research and development, comes as Washington embarks on its own defence technology-sharing pact with Britain and Australia, widely seen as a counter to China’s growing military presence in the Indo-Pacific.
“China’s emergence as a tech giant means that democratic countries such as Japan and the US are on the verge of losing technological predominance,” said Suzuki, commissioner of the Japanese defence ministry’s Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency.
01:50
Japan hosts military exercises with the US, France and Australia amid tension over East China Sea
Suzuki made the comments during an address to the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies, days after Japan’s participation in the first in-person meeting between leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue – an alliance comprising the US, Japan, India and Australia.