Polish-Japanese Technical Cooperation Begins

The agreement was signed during the visit of Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski and Deputy Minister of Defence Paweł Zalewski in Japan. The cooperation agreement was signed by Piotr Wojciechowski, President of WB Group, and Katsuo Tanaka, Managing Director and Head of Aviation Programmes at ShinMaywa Corporation. The agreement is currently framework in nature, but it appears that both sides will have much to offer each other.

The Japanese are enthusiastic about the prospect of working with Poland not only because of the current international situation but also due to the experience of the Polish defense industry, which in their opinion performed well during the ongoing full-scale conflict in Ukraine. The ability of the Polish industry to respond to the challenges of modern warfare is considered valuable by the Japanese.

As for the technical aspects of the cooperation, it appears that the Japanese might be interested in WB Group’s solutions in the fields of communications, fire control, and unmanned systems. The other party possesses financial resources and technical solutions that are new from Poland’s perspective. The Japanese corporation ShinMaywa Industries, which employs 6,500 people, is an engineering and manufacturing enterprise specializing in manned aviation, industrial machinery, special vehicles, and environmental systems. The company’s best-known product is the large US-2 amphibious aircraft. ShinMaywa Industries holds Japanese certifications that allow for the development and export of equipment and technology.

It is not yet clear in which specific areas cooperation will be undertaken, but it is described as a historic beginning of defense cooperation between the two countries. It seems that both sides may benefit from this. Poland could gain access to interesting Japanese technologies in areas that are new to it. Meanwhile, WB Group can offer not only technologies but also its experience in navigating international markets. This is something the Japanese are currently not managing very well despite possessing a modern industry and products. This is due to restrictions on exporting their defence industry, imposed by their pacifist constitution. However, some of these provisions have already been partially amended in Japan.

Japan will be the next Far Eastern country with which WB Group is initiating cooperation. Last year, the Group managed to secure Korean orders, and earlier it established cooperation with the local industry, including for K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers.

“I am pleased with the opportunity to sign an agreement on cooperation with the Japanese industry, which is interested in the development of advanced solutions intended for defense, in particular unmanned reconnaissance and strike systems as well as maritime surveillance solutions,” said President Piotr Wojciechowski.