Japan’s Public, Private Sectors Plan to Sell Dual-Use Products to Nordic Countries as Delegation Touring Europe

By Hironari Akiyama / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

12:37 JST, February 3, 2026

BRUSSELS — Japanese public- and private-sector entities plan to promote selling dual-use products, which can be used for both military and civilian purposes, in Nordic countries. The private companies’ advanced technologies are used in such dual-use products.

The Japanese and Finnish governments adopted a joint statement about technological cooperation on Monday. The Japanese government is scheduled to issue a similar document with Sweden.

As awareness about defense has been increasing in Europe in the wake of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the Japanese side aims to increase exports of its products, starting with Nordic countries.

A delegation of officials from the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), defense equipment-related companies and others began touring Europe on Monday.

The delegation includes executives of about 25 companies and organizations, including Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., IHI Corp. and Toshiba Corp. It will also visit the offices of Nokia and Ericsson, major telecom equipment makers, to seek possible joint business operations.

This is the first attempt for Japan’s public and private sectors to jointly form a fact-finding delegation for the overseas demonstration of dual-use products and technologies. In addition to the two Nordic countries, the delegation will also visit Germany.

A remarkable number of startups will be part of the delegation. The delegation plans to demonstrate dual-use technologies such as satellite technology capable of observing ground surfaces even at nighttime and in cloudy weather, assistance suits which are robotic gears worn by human workers to do hard labor and drones made of cardboard, which are low priced but highly functional.

The joint statement with Finland states that dual-use technologies are of critical importance in the current security environment and the two countries will advance private-sector cooperation across a wide range of fields, including the defense industry.

It also states that when joint developments and other actions occur, Japanese government-affiliated financial institutions, including the JBIC, will consider financial assistance for developing products.

Both Finland and Sweden joined NATO shortly after the start of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

In June 2025, NATO member countries agreed to raise their percentages of defense spending of gross domestic product from 2% to 5%, and thus members are hurriedly trying to increase their defense budgets.