Japan and South Korea are being approached by the European Union for partnerships in the security and defense industries. The aim is to jointly develop military equipment, as reported by the Nikkei on Sunday.
The potential collaboration would represent the EU’s first foray into security and defense partnerships with Asian nations, according to the Japanese business newspaper’s report from Brussels.
According to the Nikkei, the EU aims to finalize a ministerial-level agreement with Japan by the end of the year. This agreement could enable the EU to finance joint projects involving both Japanese and European companies.
Representatives from Japan’s foreign ministry and the South Korean and EU delegations in Tokyo were not immediately reachable for comment on the Sunday report.
Despite a constitution that renounces war, Japan has stated it confronts “the most severe and complex security environment since World War Two.” In recent years, Japan has significantly bolstered its defense industry in its largest postwar military expansion, citing concerns over threats from neighboring Asian countries such as China and North Korea.
Tokyo aims to address China’s growing maritime assertiveness and has voiced apprehensions regarding potential instability in the Taiwan Strait. Japan has pursued closer defense cooperation with the United States and the Philippines. Recently, it conducted a maritime exercise with the U.S., Canada, and the Philippines in the South China Sea, where China’s expansive territorial claims intersect with those of multiple Asian nations.
