Japan eyes foray into Europe's defense market

Japanese officials see growing opportunities for cooperation between Japanese firms and the European Union, which is expanding defense spending and trying to reduce excessive dependence on the United States.

Earlier this month, a Japanese delegation of senior officials at the industry ministry and the Defense Ministry's Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency as well as business executives visited Finland and Sweden.

The trip was designed to match Japanese firms and companies in the two European countries in the military-civilian dual-use sector.

In Germany, the Japanese infrastructure ministry is leading efforts to promote Japanese technology to help the country improve its defense-related infrastructure, such as bridges that can support tanks.

Japanese companies first need to focus on meeting growing demand related to Japan's defense.

But a person familiar with relations between Japan and Europe stressed the need for cooperation between the two sides, saying they share the same challenge of reducing the risk of excessive reliance on the United States.