Connect with us

Diplomacy

Europe welcomes Japan’s shift to non-US arms suppliers

Published

on

European defense companies indicate that Japan has been rapidly opening its doors to non-American military equipment suppliers since the election of US President Donald Trump.

According to the Financial Times (FT), Tokyo’s growing inclination to turn to suppliers outside its traditional defense partner was a focal point at Japan’s largest defense industry fair, held this month in Makuhari, near Tokyo.

This development follows Trump unnerving US allies worldwide by questioning Washington’s commitment to common defense.

Company representatives attending the three-day International Defence and Security Equipment Japan (DSEI) fair stated that Japanese politicians and officials have made it clear they are now more open to deals with companies outside the US, supported by plans to significantly increase national defense spending.

Lars Eriksson, Saab’s country manager for Japan, said, “In the past, this area was dominated by the US. But recently, doors have opened for other countries to take a larger slice of the pie.”

Paul MacGregor, managing director of the British sensor and information defense group Roke, also noted a change in Japan, indicating a sentiment among Japanese officials of “we love anything as long as it’s not American-made.”

Roke, owned by the UK-listed Chemring, supplied electronic warfare systems to Japan’s Self-Defense Forces for the first time last year and hopes to generate £100 million in revenue from the Japanese market over the next five years by expanding its relationship with local trading company Kaigai.

British, Italian, Scandinavian, Israeli, and German defense manufacturers echoed MacGregor’s enthusiasm, stating that the domestic arms market has completely changed following the war in Ukraine.

The war increased Tokyo’s awareness of “geopolitical uncertainties” and convinced policymakers to take more precautions against what they see as the strategic threat of an increasingly powerful and assertive China.

In 2023, Japan announced plans to increase its defense spending limit from approximately 1% of GDP, a level maintained since the 1960s, to 2% by 2027.

As a sign of the changing commercial landscape, 471 companies from 33 countries participated in the DSEI trade fair. This number represents an increase of over 60% compared to the previous event in 2023. Of these, 128 came from Europe, marking the largest participation to date.

James de St John-Pryce, business director for British armored vehicle manufacturer NMS UK, commented, “While Japan has hitherto had a much more US-centric approach, it now seems far more open to what the UK, Europe, and broader international allies have to offer. Amid mixed messages from the US, mutual cooperation between the UK and Japan has become much more meaningful.”

Robert Dane, CEO of Australian uncrewed marine vessel supplier Ocius, said that his company’s talks to supply the Japanese navy have “defied expectations since last October by moving at lightning speed.”

Dane added, “We were told this was going to take six years and involve a lot of sake.”

In a speech at the fair on Thursday, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba emphasized Japan’s inclination to open up to deeper partnerships with missile, drone, and fighter jet manufacturers.

Ishiba stated, “To ensure the peace and stability of Japan and the wider region, it is extremely important to promote cooperation in the transfer, joint development, and production of defense equipment.”

Japan’s most significant military collaboration is the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a multi-billion dollar fighter jet project with the United Kingdom and Italy. The explicit aim of this program is to find state-of-the-art alternatives to US military technologies, which are often kept secret.

Andrew Howard, Future Combat Air director at Leonardo UK, one of four companies that will supply avionics systems for the fighter jet, added, “The essence of the GCAP program is freedom of action and freedom to modify for each nation. The desire to retain significant sovereign capabilities in each of the three nations… is reinforced by concerns over US behavior.”

The Trump administration is trying to alleviate Asian allies’ concerns about its commitment. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who visited Japan at the end of March, praised Japan as an “exemplary ally” and said Washington and Tokyo were beginning to establish a “war headquarters.”

Hegseth noted that “America First” does not mean “America alone.”

In this context, attendees at the defense fair agreed that even if supply and joint development activities with Europe increase significantly, the US will remain Japan’s primary defense partner and supplier.

Diplomacy

Armenia signals potential complete withdrawal from CSTO

Published

on

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan announced that Yerevan might decide to withdraw entirely from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) if member states fail to “demonstrate a clear political stance” regarding Azerbaijan’s actions. Kostanyan emphasized that Armenia is no longer making insinuations but is speaking very openly.

According to the Novosti-Armenia news agency, Kostanyan stated, “Ultimately, if our partners in the CSTO, including the Russian Federation, do not make the political statements that were mentioned several years ago after the aggression against the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia, then Armenia will make a final decision.”

The Deputy Minister also underscored that Armenia, as a sovereign state, will determine the right time for its next steps.

Membership was frozen

Relations between Armenia, Russia, and the CSTO deteriorated following the conflicts in Nagorno-Karabakh, after which Yerevan formally requested support from its allies.

Following this process, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan repeatedly criticized the CSTO for not assisting Yerevan.

Pashinyan described the organization as a “bubble alliance,” claiming it was “planning a war” against Armenia alongside Baku.

Last February, Prime Minister Pashinyan announced that Armenia had frozen its participation in the CSTO. By May, the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the country would refuse to finance the organization’s activities.

Intelligence report points in the same direction

In January of this year, a public report released by the Armenian Foreign Intelligence Service stated that the country has no intention of returning to full participation in the CSTO in the near future.

The report noted, “We find it highly unlikely that the reasons that led to Armenia suspending its membership will change in 2025. Based on this situation, the organization’s prestige continues to be seriously questioned and has become a ’cause for reflection’ for other member countries.”

Continue Reading

Diplomacy

BRICS internal trade volume hits the $1 trillion mark

Published

on

Kirill Dmitriev, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation and CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), announced that the internal trade volume among BRICS countries has reached $1 trillion.

In a statement on his Telegram channel, Dmitriev noted that surpassing this significant milestone confirms the strengthening of economic ties between member states and the bloc’s growing role in shaping the new global economic architecture.

He also emphasized that Russia continues to strengthen trade relations, particularly through the BRICS Business Council, in line with the directives of President Vladimir Putin.

BRICS’ share will continue to grow, Putin says

During a plenary session at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 20, Russian President Vladimir Putin recalled that at the beginning of the 21st century, BRICS countries accounted for only one-fifth of the global economy, whereas today this figure has reached 40%.

The Russian leader stated that this share will continue to grow, describing it as a “medical fact.” According to Putin, this growth will primarily be driven by the countries of the Global South.

In April, Maxim Oreshkin, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of Russia, also said that the BRICS countries, operating on principles of consensus, have become a key force in the world economy.

BRICS expansion agenda

Initially composed of five countries—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—BRICS expanded in 2024 with the inclusion of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran, Ethiopia, and Egypt.

In January of this year, Indonesia became the bloc’s tenth full member.

Continue Reading

Diplomacy

Xi Jinping to miss BRICS summit in Rio for the first time

Published

on

Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend the upcoming BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro next week.

According to multiple sources cited by the South China Morning Post on Tuesday, this marks the first time Xi will miss the gathering of leaders from major emerging economies.

Officials familiar with the matter stated that Beijing informed the Brazilian government of a scheduling conflict. Premier Li Qiang is expected to lead the Chinese delegation in Xi’s place, a similar arrangement to the 2023 G20 summit in India.

Chinese officials involved in the preparations suggested Xi’s absence is due to his two meetings with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva within the past year. The first occurred during the G20 summit and a state visit to Brasília last November, while the second took place at the China-CELAC forum in Beijing this May.

Xi has never before missed a BRICS summit. In 2023, he was scheduled to deliver a speech at the meeting in South Africa but, at the last minute, sent Commerce Minister Wang Wentao instead. Beijing provided no official explanation for the change.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Xi participated in BRICS meetings virtually, with Russia hosting in 2020 and China in 2021.

On Tuesday, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry told the Post it “would not comment on the internal deliberations of foreign delegations.” The Chinese embassy in Brazil did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told the Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo, “information regarding participation in the summit will be shared at the appropriate time.” Guo added that China supports Brazil’s BRICS presidency and aims to “promote deeper cooperation” among member nations. “In a volatile and turbulent world, the BRICS countries are maintaining their strategic resolve and working together for global peace, stability, and development,” he said.

In Brasília, officials have not concealed their disappointment regarding Xi’s absence. A source informed the Post that Lula had traveled to Beijing in May as a “show of goodwill” and had hoped “the Chinese president would reciprocate the gesture by attending the Rio summit.”

There was also speculation that Lula’s invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a state dinner after the BRICS summit may have influenced Beijing’s decision, as Xi might have been “perceived as a supporting actor” at the event.

Lula’s special adviser for international relations, Celso Amorim, met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, where he clearly expressed Brazil’s desire to host Xi. “I told them, ‘BRICS without China is not BRICS,'” Amorim stated, recalling that then-President Hu Jintao attended the first BRICS summit in Brazil despite a major earthquake in China at the time. “He only stayed for one day, but he came.”

Amorim emphasized the particular importance of Xi’s attendance in the current global context, citing the “US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization” as a “violation of international rules.”

Premier Li is expected to arrive in Brazil next weekend for the summit, which is scheduled for July 6 and 7 in Rio.

Continue Reading

MOST READ

Turkey