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Japan Eyes Joint Production of Ukraine’s War-Tested Drones at Home
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Japan’s Terra Drone is considering joint production of Ukrainian-developed drones on its own territory, as part of a broader defense-tech partnership with Kyiv, according to an exclusive comment by CEO Toru Tokushige to UNITED24 Media on March 31.
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The statement was made on the sidelines of a joint press conference in Kyiv, where Terra Drone and Ukrainian company Amazing Drones announced a strategic partnership focused on scaling interceptor drone production. The event also featured Amazing Drones CEO Maksym Klymenko and representatives of Ukraine’s defense tech cluster Brave1.
“Yes, we are considering launching joint production of Ukrainian drone technologies in Japan,” Tokushige said. “There are still many challenges, but this is part of our future plans.”
Terra Drone, headquartered in Japan, is a global provider of drone and unmanned traffic management solutions, with operations across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The company recently entered the defense sector, aiming to combine its experience in mass production with combat-tested technologies from Ukraine.
Amazing Drones, a Ukraine-based defense-tech company, develops FPV and interceptor drones using battlefield experience gained during the war. The company is part of the Brave1 ecosystem and works closely with military units to test and refine its systems.
According to Tokushige, interceptor drones have emerged as a critical tool in modern warfare due to their cost efficiency. “A Shahed may cost tens of thousands of dollars, while a missile can cost over a million. Interceptors can operate at a fraction of that cost,” he said.
The company is positioning Ukraine not only as a development hub, but as a source of combat-proven technologies that can be adapted for global markets, including Japan.
The partnership comes as Terra Drone increases its engagement with Ukrainian defense startups, with Tokushige noting that he has met more than 100 drone companies in Ukraine over the past six months.
“This is just the starting point,” he said. “We are looking for more opportunities and more partners.”
Earlier, according to Kyodo News on August 4, 2025, Ukraine signaled readiness to cooperate with Japan on drone technologies, including joint production, with Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stating Kyiv is prepared to share its war-tested experience and develop drones together with Japanese partners.
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