Japan taps foreign tech to plug defence gaps as China’s power grows. Will it pay off?

Por Gabriel Dominguez — South China Morning Post – News feed

Advertisement China-Japan relations China Military Japan taps foreign tech to plug defence gaps as China’s power grows. Will it pay off?

From Ukrainian drones to multinational fighters, Tokyo is seeking expertise and capacity to supplement its domestic industry

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Gabriel Dominguez Published: 10:00pm, 16 Oct 2026 Japan is increasingly turning to foreign companies to accelerate its military modernisation , drawing on overseas technology, expertise and production capacity to plug defence gaps that could prove critical in a potential regional conflict involving China.

The push has gathered momentum over the past week, with Tokyo confirming a contract for Ukrainian interceptor drones and a multinational fighter consortium preparing to expand its design operations in Japan.

French defence giant Thales is also reportedly planning what could become Japan’s first foreign-run military maintenance facility, initially serving the Maritime Self-Defence Force.

Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi confirmed last Friday that Japan had signed a contract to acquire interceptor drones from Ukrainian start-up SkyFall.

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Fonte: South China Morning Post – News feed