EU and Japan Strengthen Cooperation on the Future of Unmanned Aircraft System

The European Union and Japan are reinforcing their cooperation in civil aviation as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and new air mobility services become an increasingly important part of the aviation landscape. Both partners share the objective of ensuring that these new activities develop safely, responsibly, and in a way that supports innovation and public confidence.

In this context, a UAS Operations Workshop, held in Tokyo and Nagoya from 19 to 23 January 2026, brought together aviation authorities and industry partners from Europe and Japan for a week of structured dialogue and practical exchanges. The workshop focused on how risk-based approaches can support consistent decision-making for UAS operations and how operational and technical considerations can be addressed in a coordinated manner.
Discussions covered how authorities assess the safety of different types of UAS operations, how operators demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements, and how oversight practices can adapt as operations become more complex. A hands-on exercise based on real operational scenarios provided a common reference for exchanging views and comparing approaches used in Europe and Japan, helping participants move from general principles to practical application.

The workshop confirmed the value of continued EU-Japan cooperation in this rapidly evolving field. By sharing experience and perspectives, both sides strengthened their mutual understanding of how risk-based frameworks can support safe and scalable unmanned aviation, while allowing sufficient flexibility for innovation.
The event was organised under the EU-Japan Aviation Partnership Project (EU-JP APP), an initiative implemented by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) in close cooperation.

As UAS and advanced air mobility operations continue to expand worldwide, the European Union and Japan remain committed to working together as equal partners to shape a safe, forward-looking, and internationally coherent aviation environment.
Source: Delegation of the European Union to Japan