State dossier
Japan
JPN · JAPAN · on the world map
What does it want?
Position: unclear or shifting (AMBIG). Has said things that point in more than one direction.
Unclear or shifting (AMBIG), since 2023-03-13, points both ways (AMBIGUOUS)
Japan co-wrote a set of draft articles on autonomous weapons at the Geneva talks. The document is written like the start of a treaty, which points one way. But it never asks for anything new: it spells out what the laws of war already require, and its first article describes what is already prohibited rather than creating a new ban. That points the other way. The text supports both readings and states neither. Reading it as "keep it in Geneva" would mean guessing from where it was filed; reading it as "wants a treaty" would mean guessing from its format. Both are guesses about a silence, so this site marks the position unclear and shows both. Japan's own statements would settle it; this site has not yet reviewed them.
Japan is a named author of CCW/GGE.1/2023/WP.4/Rev.1, and affirms it in the form a treaty takes, as numbered draft articles.
Affirm the following draft articles on the development, deployment, and use of autonomous weapon systems
Draft articles on autonomous weapon systems - prohibitions and other regulatory measures on the basis of international humanitarian law (CCW/GGE.1/2023/WP.4/Rev.1), 2023-03-13 source
Japan is a named author of CCW/GGE.1/2023/WP.4/Rev.2, and affirms it in the form a treaty takes, as numbered draft articles.
Affirm the following draft articles on the development, deployment, and use of autonomous weapon systems
Draft articles on autonomous weapon systems - prohibitions and other regulatory measures on the basis of international humanitarian law (CCW/GGE.1/2023/WP.4/Rev.2), 2023-05-15 source
Japan is a named author of CCW/GGE.1/2025/WP.7, and affirms it in the form a treaty takes, as numbered draft articles.
Affirm the following draft articles on the development, deployment, and use of autonomous weapon systems
Draft articles on autonomous weapon systems - prohibitions and other regulatory measures on the basis of international humanitarian law (CCW/GGE.1/2025/WP.7), 2025-09-03 source
The same articles ask for nothing new, specifying measures States are to implement to satisfy international humanitarian law as it already stands.
which specify prohibitions and other regulatory measures for States to implement to effectively satisfy these IHL requirements in armed conflict
Draft articles on autonomous weapon systems - prohibitions and other regulatory measures on the basis of international humanitarian law (CCW/GGE.1/2023/WP.4/Rev.1), 2023-03-13 source
How did it vote?
Yes on all three UN votes on autonomous weapons.
Hover a legend chip to light those votes · each resolution links to its record
What has it signed?
Being on a list is a fact. Not being on one is not opposition.
Hover a column heading to light its signings · click a seal to open the document
When has it spoken?
Every time it went on the record, dated.
Hover a mark for what it was · a legend chip lights that type
What rules has it written at home?
Its own military policy.
Military policy not yet reviewed by this site, as of 2026-11-04.
The record
The documents on file.
Each mark opens its source