The EU seeks a security and defence industrial partnership with Japan and South Korea

The European Union is seeking a security and defense industrial partnership with Japan and South Korea aimed at jointly developing military equipment, a senior European Commission official said.

The Nikkei newspaper reported on Sunday (June 23) that the EU hopes to reach a ministerial agreement with Japan by the end of the year that would help the EU finance joint projects managed by Japanese and European companies.

It will be the first such cooperation between the EU and an Asian country on security and defence. The report did not mention how the EU-South Korea relationship would be established.

Japan's foreign ministry and representatives of South Korea and the European Union in Tokyo did not respond to requests for comment.

Last year, Japan signed treaties with Britain and Italy to establish a program to develop advanced fighter jets.

This month, Japan began talks with the United States on strengthening defense industry cooperation, initiated by the U.S.-Japan Defense Industry Cooperation, Procurement and Assurance Forum, established in April by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden.

So far, discussions have focused on Japan's naval maintenance to help free up space for American shipyards to build more ships, but cooperation could extend to aircraft maintenance, missile production and military supply chain resilience.

Tokyo seeks to counter China's growing maritime threat and has expressed concern about any potential instability in the Taiwan Strait.

It has sought greater defense cooperation with the United States and the Philippines, and last week held maritime exercises with the United States, Canada and the Philippines in the South China Sea.