Japan, UAE Sign Defense Tech Transfer Agreement

Japan and the United Arab Emirates last week signed a defense equipment and technology transfer agreement, which is aimed at strengthening the countries’ cooperation in defense trade and research. The deal also “establishes a legal framework for the handling of defense equipment and technology transferred between the two countries,” said Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japan’s minister of foreign affairs, according to an unofficial translation of a May 26 press conference transcript. Hayashi said the agreement also will ensure the ”proper management” of defense items transferred to third countries “and their use for purposes other than those intended.” The deal, which is the first defense technology sharing agreement between Japan and a country in the Middle East, will take effect “after the necessary procedures have been completed between the governments of both countries.”