February 18, 2026
Concerned citizens in Japan have forced an Israeli arms company to withdraw from Japan’s open, competitive bidding process for drones to be deployed to Ground Self-Defense Force bases.
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) had been aggressively marketing its unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) to Japan, the same model of drones the Israeli military is using in the Gaza Strip. However, the major Israeli defense technologies firm did not take part in the tender held on February 17.
This was the result of a 2-year long effort by many concerned citizens who have voiced their opposition and engaged in signature campaigns ever since the drone procurement plan was revealed. Japanese Communist Party Dietmembers have also repeatedly raised this issue in the Diet, urging the government to refrain from purchasing weapons from Israel, a country that has repeatedly violated international law.
Nevertheless, the Ministry of Defense maintains that purchasing Israeli-made drones does not constitute complicity in the ongoing Gaza genocide and continues to list them as a strong candidate for procurement.
It is not a case of “anything but Israel.” The Defense Equipment Agency awarded a contract for about 310 units (winning bid amount: 3.68 billion yen) to Australia’s DefendTex. Pulling out of this endless arms race is precisely what Japan, as a supposedly pacifist nation, should be doing.
Past related article:
> JCP Tatsumi pushes gov’t to cancel plan to purchase Israeli-made drones used in Gaza [June 5, 2025]
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) had been aggressively marketing its unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) to Japan, the same model of drones the Israeli military is using in the Gaza Strip. However, the major Israeli defense technologies firm did not take part in the tender held on February 17.
This was the result of a 2-year long effort by many concerned citizens who have voiced their opposition and engaged in signature campaigns ever since the drone procurement plan was revealed. Japanese Communist Party Dietmembers have also repeatedly raised this issue in the Diet, urging the government to refrain from purchasing weapons from Israel, a country that has repeatedly violated international law.
Nevertheless, the Ministry of Defense maintains that purchasing Israeli-made drones does not constitute complicity in the ongoing Gaza genocide and continues to list them as a strong candidate for procurement.
It is not a case of “anything but Israel.” The Defense Equipment Agency awarded a contract for about 310 units (winning bid amount: 3.68 billion yen) to Australia’s DefendTex. Pulling out of this endless arms race is precisely what Japan, as a supposedly pacifist nation, should be doing.
Past related article:
> JCP Tatsumi pushes gov’t to cancel plan to purchase Israeli-made drones used in Gaza [June 5, 2025]
