Türkiye and Japan have signed a letter of intent aimed at expanding bilateral defence industry cooperation during the first Türkiye-Japan Defence Industry Cooperation Day at SAHA 2026 in Istanbul.
The agreement was signed between Türkiye’s Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) and Japan’s Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency, with officials highlighting closer collaboration in defence technology and industrial partnerships.
SSB President Haluk Görgün said the initiative marked an important step towards strategic cooperation in defence and high-technology sectors, while Japanese Ambassador to Ankara Masami Tamura described the talks as significant for bilateral defence relations.
Key developments:
- Around 30 Turkish and 10 Japanese defence companies attended the event.
- Discussions could eventually include joint development and production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
- Japan has reportedly shown interest in Baykar’s TB2 drones following their operational use in Ukraine and Libya.
- Türkiye ranked as the world’s 11th-largest arms exporter in the 2021–2025 period, according to SIPRI data.
ℹ️ AL-Monitor
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