TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A senior Japanese drone industry executive has called for Taiwan and Japan to harmonize drone regulations and expand industrial cooperation, saying regulatory differences and restrictions on defense collaboration are limiting the sector's growth.
In an interview with Nikkei Asia, Japan Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Industry Development Association Executive Director Iwata Kakuya said the two countries already have close manufacturing ties, providing a strong foundation for commercial drone cooperation. He said differing regulatory frameworks are the biggest barrier to deeper collaboration and partnership.
The report said Iwata also pointed to Japan's restrictions on defense-related cooperation with Taiwan as another major obstacle. He said collaboration on military and dual-use drones has yet to mature because of Tokyo's current policy limitations.
Japan and Taiwan do not maintain formal diplomatic relations, but Japan is widely regarded as one of Taiwan's closest security and economic partners. Relations have strengthened in recent years, with Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) both making private visits to Japan over the past year.
Iwata said Japan and Taiwan have strengths and weaknesses in drone development that could complement one another. He suggested Japan could contribute expertise in areas such as motor production while Taiwan expands manufacturing capacity for overseas orders, per the report.
Iwata also said European demand for Taiwanese-made drones is growing, but Taiwan's current production capacity remains limited, creating opportunities for Japanese manufacturers to participate in supply chains.
JUIDA, Japan's largest drone industry association, has about 20,000 members and operates roughly 100 drone training schools that teach drone operation and help connect the industry with local communities. However, Japanese companies remain unfamiliar with Taiwan's drone industry and lack contacts for potential partnerships.
Separately, Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technologies analyst Teng Hung-yuan (鄧鴻元), based in Tokyo, told Nikkei Asia that differences in drone certification, electrical safety requirements, and communications standards have complicated cross-border cooperation. Teng said such differences make it more difficult for governments to procure each other's drone systems.
He also said that while the US has established certification programs, including Green UAS, to help Taiwanese companies meet American standards, no comparable certification framework currently exists between Taiwan and Japan.
The report concluded that China's military expansion and tightening export controls have increased the urgency of closer Taiwan-Japan drone cooperation. Although collaboration remains limited, industry momentum has continued to build even as broader policy changes have yet to materialize.