EBC CASD meeting: 10 April 2026

CASD meeting minutes, 10 April 2026

Participants:
Daniele Alzetta, Leonardo
Francois Begaud, Airbus
Nikolaus Boltze, thyssenkrupp
Alain Correia, Thales
Akira Ukajii, SAAB
Sebastien Bourlon, Safran
Stephane Lagut, EY
Fabio Crissafulli, Dassault
Masako Ozawa, Illies
Bjorn Kongstad, EBC
Valerie Moschetti, EBC

MHI has now appointed two Government Affairs representatives for defence. NEC has also brought in an outspoken former MOFA official.

Several high-level meetings have taken place between European countries and Japan. These include the recent visit of German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, who met with Japan’s MOD, including Shinjiro Koizumi.

Japan has announced a drone collaboration initiative with Ukraine.

Nikolaus and Valerie will meet DG DEFIS during their visit to Europe. Nikolaus will also participate in the Defence Industrial Dialogue on 17 April. The EU side will be led by the global CEO of Saab, with Airbus and possibly Thales Group also in attendance.

The Chair briefed the Committee on the Defence Task Force of the EU–Japan Business Round Table. There is still no full alignment on how the BRT should approach defence-related issues.

The Committee will begin preparations for the annual meeting (September/October), to be held with the EU Delegation, defence attachés, ALTA, METI, and potentially SJAC and other private-sector stakeholders. A new EU Ambassador is expected to be in place by that time.

Upcoming exhibitions and airshows include the Berlin Airshow (10–14 June), Eurosatory in Paris (June), Farnborough (July), and DSEI Japan (expected 28–30 April next year).

The next Committee meeting is scheduled for 28 May and will include a presentation by Valérie Niquet, Senior Research Fellow at FRS, on potential areas of cooperation between Europe and Japan.