Rakuten Group said it has become the official Japan representative for Munich-based defense AI startup Helsing, making it the first civilian technology company to act as an authorized broker under Japan's defense procurement rules revised in April 2026. The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force is already running a proof-of-concept field evaluation of Helsing's HX-2 loitering munition through September, with results due by the end of September 2026. If the trial succeeds, Rakuten plans to formally propose Helsing's systems to the Ministry of Defense and the two companies will explore producing HX-2-class drones in Japan. The electrically propelled HX-2 weighs 12 kilograms, can strike targets up to 100 kilometers away at speeds of 220 km/h, and uses GPS-denied navigation and AI-assisted terminal guidance designed for contested electronic-warfare environments. The tie-up extends Rakuten's push into defense-adjacent work after its 2025 partnership with Ukraine's Brave1 incubator and a 2026 joint military exercise role for Rakuten Mobile, while giving Japan another test case as higher defense spending and new rules widen access for foreign suppliers and civilian intermediaries. Field data on the HX-2 has been mixed, with strong results in a U.S. Army exercise in Lithuania and weaker early deployment reports from Ukraine that Helsing has disputed.