Defence & Security

The emergence of state expansionism and growing uncertainty in East Asia and other regions has altered Japan’s security environment. At the same time, the growing threat of terrorism and asymmetric warfare, together with new security domains such as cyber and space, means that national security can no longer be addressed solely from a traditional geopolitical perspective or by individual countries alone.

Against this backdrop, Japan is placing greater emphasis on international cooperation and deeper defence relationships. It has expanded cooperation through joint exercises, capacity-building, and defence equipment and technology cooperation. Cooperation between Japan, the EU and European countries, including joint exercises, reflects a shared commitment to a rules-based international order, while contributing to maritime security and addressing both traditional and emerging threats.

In terms of defence equipment and technology collaboration, Europe has been playing a very important role as one of Japan’s closest and oldest allies that shares universal values and plays a central role in addressing common challenges to global security. Whilst the U.S.-Japan Alliance remains the cornerstone of Japan’s security and plays an indispensable role in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, deeper defence and security cooperation with Europe would further strengthen Japan’s resilience and contribute to a broader network of like-minded partners committed to deterring regional expansionism and upholding the rules-based international order. Closer cooperation with Europe in the defence field could also induce new opportunities in public procurement and foster collaboration between industries.

In recent developments, on November 1, 2024, Japan and the European Union announced a new security and defence partnership, marking the EU’s first such agreement with an Indo-Pacific country. The partnership includes joint military exercises, defence industry exchanges, and cooperation in cybersecurity and space defence, reflecting a shared commitment to strengthening security and the rules-based international order.

This cooperation has since been given further practical impetus through the EU-Japan Defence Industry Dialogue. The first meeting was held in Brussels on 17 April 2026 under the EU-Japan Competitiveness Alliance, bringing together European and Japanese defence industries, industry associations and government representatives. The Dialogue focuses on strengthening the defence industrial base, improving supply-chain resilience and exploring cooperation in advanced and dual-use technologies. The EBC welcomes this as an important step towards closer cooperation between European and Japanese defence industries.

The EBC encourages the Government of Japan to further promote the defence equipment and technology aspects of this relationship, including opportunities for European companies to participate in international co-development programmes and defence-related procurement. The EU’s emerging framework for defence industrial cooperation, which allows participation by third countries such as Japan under specific conditions, should also be explored as a potential avenue for deeper EU-Japan industrial cooperation.