Japan, EU hold 1st defence industry dialogue
Japan and the European Union have held the first dialogue designed to reinforce their cooperation for the defence industry.
Amid an increasingly severe global security environment, Japan and the EU aim to work closely together to strengthen supply chains of defence equipment and reduce dependence on the United States.
The dialogue, held at the EU headquarters in Brussels on Friday (April 17), was attended by more than 30 Japanese companies and organisations, such as Subaru Corp., Hitachi Ltd. and NEC Corp., and 20 European firms, including Thales of France, Leonardo SpA of Italy and Saab of Sweden.
Some startups with dual-use technologies also took part in the dialogue as they sought business opportunities.
Andrius Kubilius, a European Commission commissioner for defence and space, said that Japan is "a true like-minded partner" for the EU, emphasising the importance of cooperation in the fields of defence and economic security.
Japanese state minister of economy, trade and industry, Toshiro Ino said that he really hopes that the dialogue will become a "platform" of partnership between Japan and the EU, particularly between their private sectors, leading to the launch of cooperation projects.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
