17 April 2026 07:16 UTC · European Commission · EU Commission Press Release · Source · Email X Link

European Commission welcomes EU-Japan defence industry dialogue

Key points

Commissioner Kubilius emphasizes EU‑Japan defence and industry partnership
Commissioner Kubilius prioritizes security of supply; new Security of Supply Board established

TL;DR

Commissioner Kubilius says this is the first full‑fledged EU‑Japan defence industry dialogue and welcomes Japanese and European industry participation.
Commissioner Kubilius notes the dialogue builds on the EU‑Japan Competitiveness Alliance and the security and defence partnership signed two years ago.
Commissioner Kubilius emphasizes security of supply as a top priority, stating the EU set up a new Security of Supply Board this year to monitor defence supply chains.

Original text

European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Welcome message by Commissioner Kubilius at the EU-Japan Defence Industry Dialogue Brussels, 17 April 2026 Good morning and Welcome! Thank you Mr Tomomi Nakamura and Mr Arkadiusz Bąk, Thank you for those opening words on behalf of Japanese & EU industry, And welcome Mr. Toshiro Ino, State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. Minister, it's good that you are here. Because when we talk about partnership, that's not only a partnership between Japan and the EU, but also partnership between government and industry. We have nearly 60 guests from Japan here today, from more than 30 companies. And 20 companies from Europe. And very senior officials, from Europe and Japan. I wish all of you a very warm welcome. Also on a personal level. I am now Defence and Space Commissioner. But before that I was twice prime minister of Lithuania. And in Lithuania we have very warm feelings towards Japan. Since Japan was one of the first countries to recognise Lithuanian Independence, on 6 September 1991. And today it's an honour for me to welcome you, because Japan is a bastion of democracy, human rights and rule of law. Because Japan is a beacon of stability in a dangerous world. So Japan is a true like minded partner for the European Union. More than a partner, I would say a friend. This meeting of defence industries today builds on the security and defence partnership between Japan and the European Union, signed two years ago. Because there can be no security or defence without industry. And our dialogue today builds on the EU -Japan Competitiveness Alliance. Because there is no competitiveness without a strong defence industry. We are here at a historic meeting. This is our first ever full fledged EU-Japan defence industry dialogue. And this shows: How close the EU and Japan are, even though we are on other sides of the world. In Japan you also know what it's like to live next to a big and assertive neighbour. You need to be strong to deter a possible conflict. We know that also. Economic security is a major issue for you like it is for us. Recently we learned our lessons: The EU needs to work more closely with likeminded partners to diversify and derisk its supply chains. For defence goods and for dual-use goods. The message by industries in this regard is also clear. They want us, the EU and Japan, to support them in this regard. And security of supply is a major priority for me as Commissioner. This year in the EU we set up a new Security of Supply Board to monitor supply chains in defence industry, so we can prevent security of supply crises in time. And so industry can produce at scale and speed. But we need to do much more, that's why we have put security of supply on the top of our agenda today. Today ' s Defence Industrial Dialogue is a key milestone in this regard. The European Union can learn a lot from Japan about economic security. You have a lot of experience in this area. And we can also improve diversity of supply chains by working and trading together. That's another reason why today we bring European and Japanese industry together. There are already impressive shared defence projects. For very big ticket items like Japanese/Italian/UK cooperation on a fighter jet. We need to work still more closely together. So I ask all of you: Make the most of this day to meet businesses from Japan and the EU. Use this day to lay the foundation for strong future partnerships and business ventures. I hope one day, when you sign a big contract you can say: it all started at the dialogue in the Berlaymont! And I ask you to speak out. Share your concerns and ideas. Tell us what the obstacles are. And you can count on my support. Because it is my job to make sure we have a strong and flourishing defence industry, built on partnerships, and built for our competitiveness, defence and deterrence. I look forward to hearing from all of you here today. SPEECH/26/837

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