Visit of Belgian Defence Minister reinforces security cooperation with Japan

From 31 August till 2 September, Theo Francken, Minister of Defence and Foreign Trade of Belgium, visited Japan. He was the first Belgian Defence Minister to do so, sending a clear signal that Belgium is ready to strengthen cooperation with Japan in the security field. 
First of all, Minister Francken opened a new post of Defence Attaché at the Belgian Embassy in Tokyo. The move aims to significantly improve the capacity to collaborate with Japan.
Another important aspect of the visit was industrial cooperation. Japanese defence industry is opening up and shows impressive know-how with high-quality products, both from established industrial players as from upcoming high-tech startups. 
Minister Francken’s programme reflected those elements. He had a productive and warm exchange with Japan’s Defence Minister Koizumi on these issues. During a meeting with METI State Minister Ino, they discussed economic cooperation, including on critical raw materials. Furthermore, the Belgian Embassy together with its regions Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels, organised a seminar with Japanese businesses to present the Belgian defence industry.
Source: Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Tokyo
https://www.mod.go.jp/en/article/2026/08/4df5495addfd4efaee0952475c966830f48167c0.html 

Published: October 2026