Japanese ecommerce giant Rakuten teams up with German startup to build military drones

Rakuten is helping Helsing navigate Japan's complicated military procurement system Helsing's HX-2 strike drone is already undergoing trials with Japan's military Japan's expanding defence budget is attracting overseas military technology companies Rakuten has revealed it is now working with German

<![CDATA[ <article> <ul><li><strong>Rakuten is helping Helsing navigate Japan's complicated military procurement system</strong></li><li><strong>Helsing's HX-2 strike drone is already undergoing trials with Japan's military</strong></li><li><strong>Japan's expanding defence budget is attracting overseas military technology companies</strong></li></ul><p>Rakuten has revealed it is now working with German defense AI startup Helsing to bring the company's military drones into Japan.</p><p>The Tokyo-based ecommerce and finance conglomerate is acting as the local broker between Helsing and Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force.</p><p>Field tests of Helsing's HX-2 strike drone began earlier this year and will run through the end of September 2026.</p><h2 id="rakuten-s-role-in-the-deal">Rakuten's role in the deal</h2><p>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><p>That partner was Rakuten, according to <em>Nikkei</em>, which first reported the tie-up between the two companies.</p><p>Rakuten has little defense industry experience of its own, but it wants to help more startups enter Japan's defense sector.</p><p>Hideaki Mukai, Chief of Staff to Rakuten's CEO, said startups face structural barriers including complex procurement systems and difficulty reaching government agencies.</p><p>"Encouraging greater participation for startups in Japan's defense industry presents an important opportunity to strengthen the country's defense capabilities," he said.</p><p>Mukai added Rakuten hopes to bridge these gaps by connecting startups and emerging technologies with the needs of government agencies.</p><p>At the moment, there is no official confirmation from Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force about the arrangement.</p><h2 id="a-pattern-for-rakuten-and-a-market-for-helsing">A pattern for Rakuten and a market for Helsing</h2><p>Rakuten previously helped Ukrainian drone software maker Swarmer demonstrate its technology to a unit of Japan's military in late April.</p><p>That test used AI software to coordinate a swarm of drones in a seek-and-hit mission over Japanese territory.</p><p>Rakuten founder Hiroshi Mikitani has been among Japan's most vocal supporters of Ukraine since the war began in 2022.</p><p>His company has also helped other Ukrainian defense firms exhibit their products at arms fairs held across Japan.</p><p>Japan's rising military spending, combined with its recent easing of arms export restrictions, has drawn strong interest from overseas defense firms.</p><p>Many of these companies are now searching for local partners capable of navigating Japan's complex procurement environment.</p><p>Helsing was founded in 2021 and initially focused on building AI software to analyze battlefield data for clients.</p><p>The company has since expanded into autonomous strike <a href="https://www.techradar.com/cameras/drones/best-drone">drones</a>, underwater surveillance systems, and military aircraft applications worldwide.</p><p>It holds contracts with several European governments and supplies Ukraine with drones funded by the German government.</p><p>In July 2026, the Munich-based firm raised $1.8 billion in a single funding round, its largest to date.</p><p>That round cemented Helsing's position as Europe's best-funded defense technology startup, ahead of rivals across the continent. </p><p>Via <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-17/rakuten-german-startup-helsing-test-military-drones-for-japan?srnd=phx-technology" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Bloomberg</a></p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:676px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:31.51%;"><img id="diM9tpwF2Lz85R8q85CT78" name="tr-g_news" alt="Google logo on a black background next to text reading 'Click to follow TechRadar'" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/diM9tpwF2Lz85R8q85CT78.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="676" height="213" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div></figure> </article> ]]>