10式戦車・Japan Ground Self-Defense Force TYPE10 TANK

14/08/2026

Japan holds exceptionally high global market shares in several critical technologies and materials used in advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

EUV Coater/Developer Systems

Tokyo Electron has an almost complete share of this market.

In EUV lithography, photoresist must first be applied uniformly to the wafer surface. After exposure, the resist is developed to form extremely fine circuit patterns.

Coater/developer systems perform these resist coating and development processes.

Tokyo Electron holds approximately 100% of the market for EUV coater/developer systems, making it a critical supplier for leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing and continued device scaling.

EUV Mask Inspection

Lasertec has a dominant position in this field.

Because EUV lithography is used to produce extremely fine circuit patterns, even minute defects on EUV masks or mask blanks can result in manufacturing defects.

Lasertec supplies highly advanced inspection systems capable of detecting defects in EUV masks and mask blanks.

In particular, Lasertec has a near-100% share in certain areas of actinic inspection, where EUV light itself is used to detect defects under conditions relevant to actual EUV lithography.

Mask quality control is essential for high-volume EUV manufacturing, giving Japanese technology a dominant position in this critical inspection process.

ABF

ABF stands for Ajinomoto Build-up Film.

Ajinomoto holds more than 95% of the global market.

ABF is an insulating material used in advanced package substrates for high-performance semiconductor devices such as CPUs and GPUs.

Modern high-performance semiconductors require extremely dense multilayer interconnect structures. ABF provides electrical insulation between these wiring layers.

Major applications include CPUs, GPUs, AI accelerators, and semiconductor devices for data centers.

As semiconductor performance increases and package interconnect density continues to rise, ABF is becoming increasingly important to advanced semiconductor packaging.

EUV Photoresists

Japanese companies collectively hold approximately 90–95% of the global market.

Major suppliers include JSR, Tokyo Ohka Kogyo, Shin-Etsu Chemical, and FUJIFILM.

EUV photoresists are photosensitive materials that undergo chemical reactions when exposed to EUV radiation, enabling extremely fine circuit patterns to be formed on semiconductor wafers.

Leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing requires extremely precise pattern formation. EUV photoresists therefore require high sensitivity, high resolution, extremely low defectivity, very high purity, and precise control of line-edge roughness.

Japanese companies dominate the global market through their advanced materials engineering and manufacturing capabilities in these areas.

EUV Mask Blanks

Major Japanese suppliers include HOYA and AGC.

EUV mask blanks are the base materials from which EUV photomasks are manufactured.

Their production requires extremely precise formation of multilayer reflective coatings, protective layers, and absorber layers on low-thermal-expansion glass substrates.

Even extremely small surface defects or variations in film thickness can affect pattern transfer, requiring exceptionally high levels of material quality and manufacturing precision.

Japanese companies hold approximately 90–93% of the global EUV mask blank market.

Japan therefore has a very strong position in both the production of EUV mask blanks and the technologies used to inspect them.

# # # Ultra-High-Purity Polishing Materials

Semiconductor manufacturing uses a planarization process known as CMP, or Chemical Mechanical Polishing.

Because semiconductor devices are fabricated by repeatedly building up multiple wiring and insulating layers, each layer must be planarized with nanometer-scale precision before subsequent processing.

CMP slurries are used for this purpose.

Japanese companies such as Fuso Chemical hold approximately 90% of the global market for ultra-high-purity colloidal silica used as a key material in these advanced polishing processes.

14/08/2026

JS Kaga, DDH-184

2025年11月、フィリピン海で多国間演習「ANNUALEX 2025」に参加した海上自衛隊の護衛艦「かが」。護衛艦「かが」の甲板上に...

14/08/2026

Type 87 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun footage from the 2000s.

13/08/2026

Yakima Training Center, United States

10式戦車の実弾射撃訓練。陸上自衛隊が米国ワシントン州ヤキマトレーニングセンターで実施する派米訓練「ライジング・サンダー」で行われた迫...

13/08/2026

Type 25 Surface-to-Ship Missile
Range: 1,000 km

2026年7月30日、岐阜基地上空で撮影された1枚の写真から始まる話です。飛行開発実験団のF-2戦闘機が、両翼に見慣れない大型ミサイル...

12/08/2026

https://youtu.be/mYbMJBf1GfM?si=63MrnW6i3ZfOhTFm

2018年4月8日 陸上自衛隊 第1師団創立56周年・練馬駐屯地創設67周年記念行事2019年の10式戦車の映像はこちらです → h...

09/08/2026

Japan Defense Ministry Plans Long-Range Attack Drones and Missiles to Bolster Counterstrike Capability

New security strategy framework calls for stronger strike, surveillance and unmanned capabilities

August 8, 2026, 7:00 a.m.

Japan’s Ministry of Defense on August 7 unveiled the framework for revising the National Defense Strategy and the Defense Buildup Program as part of a planned update to the country’s three key security documents by the end of this year.

The ministry said it intends to introduce long-range attack drones to strengthen Japan’s counterstrike capability against enemy missile launch sites. It also identified gaps in surveillance coverage over the Pacific, where Chinese and Russian military activity has intensified, and called for a substantial strengthening of Japan’s warning and monitoring capabilities.

The framework places the quantitative and qualitative expansion of Japan’s defense capabilities, along with the restructuring of surveillance systems on the Pacific side, among its highest priorities.

On counterstrike capability, the ministry warned that Japan could face difficulty maintaining sufficient deterrence in the future without adequate capability in both quantity and quality. To improve operational effectiveness, it plans to diversify its strike options by introducing long-range attack drones in addition to existing long-range missile systems.

The plan also calls for the development of an integrated strike capability combining stand-off missiles with long-range attack drones. In the area of air defense, the ministry emphasized the need to increase stocks of interceptor missiles and introduce interceptor drones.

The objective is to strengthen asymmetric defense capabilities against adversaries that may possess numerical superiority. The ministry also plans to incorporate artificial intelligence into defense operations to improve the speed and accuracy of decision-making.

Regarding the Pacific region, the ministry said Japan’s current surveillance capabilities are insufficient in light of increasingly frequent operations by Chinese and Russian aircraft carriers, bombers and other military assets.

To strengthen surveillance, intelligence collection and air defense, Japan plans to establish a multilayered warning and monitoring network integrating unmanned aircraft with ground-based infrastructure.

Specific measures include studying the introduction of long-endurance early-warning UAVs and beginning basic surveys for the deployment of warning and control radar systems in the Ogasawara Islands.

The framework also identifies the maintenance and strengthening of Japan’s domestic defense industrial base as a major priority.

Some defense-related companies have withdrawn from the sector because of reputational and other business risks. In response, the government plans to expand a system under which the state owns production facilities while private companies operate them, while also providing additional support to defense manufacturers.

The aim is to reduce the initial investment burden on private companies while securing stable domestic production capacity for defense equipment.

At the same time, the procurement of multi-purpose attack drones and other systems has generated controversy. Amid humanitarian concerns related to the situation in the Middle East, civic groups have submitted petitions to the defense minister opposing the import of Israeli-made drones, highlighting ethical questions surrounding the diversification of Japan’s defense procurement.

As Japan moves ahead with its future defense buildup, the Ministry of Defense will also face challenges including accelerating the domestic production of defense equipment and ensuring greater transparency in procurement procedures.

https://www.sbbit.jp/article/st/186456

07/08/2026

Tokyo to Convert Yaesu Underground Parking Garage into Ballistic Missile Shelter

TOKYO, Aug. 7, 2026 — The Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced Friday that it will convert an underground parking garage near Tokyo Station into a shelter designed to protect people from ballistic missile attacks.

The Yaesu Parking Garage in Chuo Ward will be upgraded to offer greater protection than the emergency temporary evacuation facilities designated under Japan’s Civil Protection Law. It will be Tokyo’s second facility of this kind, following one being developed at a disaster-prevention storage site attached to Azabu-juban Station on the Toei Subway network.

The parking garage, operated by an organization affiliated with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, is located beneath Yaesu-dori Avenue in front of Tokyo Station. The two-level underground facility extends from about 2 to 11 meters below ground and has a total floor area of approximately 13,000 square meters.

The planned upgrades include blast-resistant doors and emergency supply storage areas that would allow evacuees to remain inside for an extended period.

Detailed design work is scheduled to begin in fiscal 2026. The metropolitan government expects the parking garage to remain open during construction and to continue operating after the shelter is completed.

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said at a news conference Friday that the location was chosen because of its proximity to Tokyo Station and the large number of people who are outdoors in the surrounding area.

“The site is expected to provide a high level of protection because of its location,” Koike said.

Referring to North Korea’s repeated ballistic missile launches, she added, “They are absolutely unacceptable. We will do everything possible to ensure the safety and security of Tokyo residents.”
https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOCC073X60X00C26A8000000/

07/08/2026

Japan Moves to Counter Chinese and Russian Military Pressure, Strengthening Air and Maritime Defense Capabilities

1. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said China and Russia have been expanding and intensifying coordinated military activities around Japan, increasing pressure in both the air and maritime domains. Japan is responding by accelerating efforts to strengthen its defense capabilities, deterrence and ability to respond to potential threats.

2. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force currently conducts around 400 scramble missions a year in response to foreign military aircraft approaching Japanese airspace. Japan has also been expanding its missile capabilities. In June 2025, the Ground Self-Defense Force conducted Japan’s first domestic live-fire exercise involving the Type 88 Surface-to-Ship Missile in Hokkaido. More recently, the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Aegis destroyer JS Chokai successfully test-fired a U.S.-made Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missile in the Pacific in July 2026, following modifications and crew training in the United States.

3. Koizumi stressed that Japan must prevent potential adversaries from miscalculating that insufficient Japanese defense capabilities would allow them to launch an invasion successfully. Japan’s defense strategy is built around three main approaches: strengthening its own defense capabilities, reinforcing deterrence and response capabilities through the Japan-U.S. Alliance, and expanding security cooperation with other like-minded countries.

4. The government has released the 2026 edition of Defense of Japan, its annual defense white paper, together with the introductory publication Maruwakari! Nihon no Boei. The new materials place greater emphasis on unmanned systems, artificial intelligence and the importance of strengthening Japan’s defense production and technological base.

5. In response to the 2026 Kumamoto earthquake, the Ministry of Defense deployed the PFI-operated vessel Hakuo II to Yatsushiro Port as a support base for disaster victims. The vessel is capable of providing accommodation, meals and bathing facilities as part of the Self-Defense Forces’ continuing disaster-relief operations.

6. Asked about proposals within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to strengthen Japan’s intelligence capabilities, including measures involving communications interception, Koizumi declined to comment on the party’s internal deliberations. He said, however, that stronger intelligence capabilities are indispensable in the increasingly severe security environment and that the Ministry of Defense will continue examining measures to enhance them.

7. Addressing calls for nuclear abolition from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Koizumi expressed sympathy with the aspirations of people in the two atomic-bombed cities. The government continues to uphold Japan’s Three Non-Nuclear Principles while pursuing what it describes as realistic and practical nuclear disarmament efforts.

8. Japan views its security environment as having entered a new phase. The government is increasing defense spending, strengthening stand-off and counterstrike capabilities, reviewing rules governing the transfer of defense equipment, and seeking greater use of technologies developed by startups, including unmanned systems and artificial intelligence, as part of a broader effort to reinforce Japan’s defense industrial and technological base.

当チャンネルをご覧いただきありがとうございます！チャンネル登録・高評価が動画制作の励みになります！【目次】00:00 ダイジェ...

06/08/2026

Ukraine Deploys Ground Robots on Unprecedented Scale to Protect Soldiers and Transform Battlefield Operations

Ukraine is deploying ground robots on an unprecedented scale as it seeks to reduce the number of soldiers exposed to dangerous missions.

The machines are not only helping to protect troops but are also changing how the Ukrainian military fights and sustains its war effort. Commanders say unmanned ground vehicles, or UGVs, are enabling units to operate for longer periods and carry out a wider range of missions with fewer personnel.

Ukraine is using UGVs for tasks ranging from transporting ammunition and food to front-line positions to surveillance, reconnaissance, equipment recovery and direct attacks.

As the war approaches the four-and-a-half-year mark, Ukraine continues to face a shortage of military personnel. Ground robots are helping to preserve soldiers’ lives while reshaping the way the armed forces organise and conduct operations.

One of the main advantages of UGVs is their ability to operate for extended periods, Ukrainian commanders told Business Insider.

A company commander responsible for UGV operations in the 21st Unmanned Systems “Kraken” Regiment, who uses the call sign Grek, said military robots do not become tired in the way humans do and can therefore continue carrying out surveillance, transport and reconnaissance-support missions.

A commander using the call sign Mathematician, who leads a UGV unit in the 2nd Khartia Corps, said the main purpose of ground robots is to reduce the number of soldiers required for dangerous missions.

He said UGVs can remain active around the clock and carry out more missions than a small infantry unit.

“The Ukrainian military could not function without UGVs today,” Mathematician said. “Their greatest strength is that they can operate longer than humans and repeatedly carry out the same missions.”

Ukraine has made UGVs a priority area for defence investment in 2026. During the first half of the year, the government signed contracts to procure 25,000 robots, twice the number acquired during the whole of 2025.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has set a target of producing 50,000 UGVs by the end of 2026.

The investment reflects Ukraine’s growing use of robots in place of soldiers across a wide range of combat operations. Their deployment has expanded particularly in high-risk missions, including the delivery of ammunition, food and other supplies to front-line positions.

Ukrainian officials say the vehicles are proving increasingly valuable in protecting soldiers’ lives.

UGVs are already playing a major role in the war. Zelenskyy said in April 2026 that they had carried out more than 22,000 missions since the beginning of the year. By June, that number had exceeded 50,000.

Commanders of Ukrainian UGV units stress that the purpose of the robots is to reduce the number of soldiers exposed to danger, not to remove humans from the battlefield entirely.

“It is essential that humans continue to make the decisions,” Grek said. “UGVs are tools that support people. They take on the most dangerous parts of a mission, while humans remain responsible for decision-making, control and accountability.”

He added that UGVs can improve operational efficiency by allowing smaller teams to operate and coordinate systems in missions that previously required larger numbers of personnel and vehicles.

Ground robots are particularly important on the front line, where even limited movement by soldiers or vehicles can be detected by drones and quickly targeted.

These highly dangerous areas, known as “kill zones,” now extend for several kilometres in some sectors. Ukrainian officials and soldiers say the zones are continuing to expand.

Military robots equipped with advanced sensors and cameras allow troops positioned farther behind the front line to obtain detailed video and data from the battlefield.

Grek said that by entering dangerous areas in place of soldiers, military robots are “extending human capabilities.”

UGV operators can conduct surveillance, transport supplies, recover equipment, carry out inspections and support military operations from safer positions, he said.

However, as the battlefield becomes increasingly dangerous for soldiers, it is also becoming more hazardous for robots. UGVs generally move slowly and lack the protection against drone attacks provided by armoured vehicles.

Andrii Kushnierov, a platoon commander in Ukraine’s 59th Assault Brigade, said that near the front line, where Ukrainian and Russian forces are in direct contact, a robot may complete only five to 10 missions before being destroyed.

Mathematician said a robot may survive around 20 missions in some sectors. In the area where his unit operates, however, most vehicles complete only three or four.

Even so, Ukrainian forces consider the machines worth the cost. If a robot is destroyed while carrying out a mission that would otherwise have placed a soldier’s life at risk, commanders say the loss is justified.

https://www.businessinsider.jp/article/2607-ukrainian-robots-change-how-army-endures-war-beyond-saving-lives/