# National security and the stakes of ‘technology sovereignty’

> Source: <https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/09/22/japan/national-security-technology-sovereignty/>
> Published: 2026-09-22 08:21:00+00:00

The technologies that increasingly determine national security are being developed not only by governments but by private companies and universities. This creates a dilemma for liberal democracies like Japan: How can governments secure strategically important technologies without undermining the autonomy and innovation of the private sector?

Investment in dual-use technologies — those with both civilian and military applications — is increasingly seen as an efficient way for states to acquire critical capabilities. But because these technologies are often developed outside government, securing them requires more than technological capacity. It requires a way to govern dispersed capabilities without stifling them.

This is the challenge of technology sovereignty. Countries increasingly speak of AI sovereignty, digital sovereignty and data sovereignty. Technology sovereignty provides a broader framework for understanding these efforts.