Japan is weighing the purchase of Ukraine-made attack drones to bolster its defense, drawing on Kyiv’s battlefield-tested drone capabilities and combat experience against Russia.

Although Israel is considered as an alternative supplier, Tokyo appears inclined toward Ukrainian technology due to the Gaza-related political situation.

A bilateral arms transfer agreement could facilitate the move by protecting sensitive technology, with Zelenskyy seeking defense technology exchanges with Japan.

The discussion sits within a broader regional security context, including Japan-China naval activity concerns near Japanese islands.

A final decision will hinge on testing, cost analysis, and geopolitical factors, with several cooperation paths under review.

Kyodo News is cited as the source, noting unnamed officials familiar with the matter.

Japan’s draft budget for fiscal 2026 includes about 277.3 billion yen ($1.7 billion) to reinforce defense with unmanned assets and the SHIELD program to defend distant islands.

Any agreement could reshape Kyiv-Tokyo defense-tech and industrial ties, reflecting broader shifts in arms transfer and collaboration.

Japan is moving to ease defense equipment transfer rules, with a planned policy shift in April to allow lethal weapons exports under exceptional national-security provisions.

The easing of transfer rules is framed as enabling lethal-weapon exports in principle, as part of a broader deregulatory move.

Preparations underway for a policy shift in April to permit export of lethal weapons, subject to security considerations.

The plan envisions acquiring a large number of drones for attack and surveillance as part of a broader upgrade of unmanned assets.