French defence company Thales SA plans to establish a maintenance and operational support base in Japan to service military equipment, marking a potential first for a foreign defence company in the country, according to a report by Nikkei on Monday.
The company has not disclosed the facility’s location or when it is expected to open. Thales Chairman and Chief Executive Patrice Caine told the Japanese business daily that the project “will mark a milestone toward Thales’s long-term engagement in Japan”.
The proposed base will inspect military equipment, assess its condition and diagnose technical faults, Nikkei reported. Operations will initially focus on equipment used by Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force, with plans to expand services to the Ground and Air Self-Defence Forces at a later stage.
Caine identified radar and sonar technologies as potential areas for cooperation with Japan. He said Thales hoped to “provide support in areas where Thales has an advantage in terms of performance”.
The facility could eventually extend its maintenance services to civilian equipment, according to the report.
The move comes as Japan increases its defence spending under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi amid growing concerns about China’s expanding military capabilities and North Korea’s weapons programmes. Tokyo has been strengthening its defence capabilities and pursuing closer cooperation with international defence companies as regional security concerns intensify.
Alongside its plans for the maintenance base, Thales is expanding its manufacturing activities in Japan. The company will transfer technology for its 2R2M heavy mortar system to Japan Steel Works, which is scheduled to begin domestic production in 2027, Nikkei reported.
Thales already supplies sonar technology to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for underwater vehicles used by Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force to detect mines. The arrangement highlights the French company’s existing role in supporting Japan’s maritime defence capabilities.
Thales has operated in Japan since 1970, with business activities covering defence, aerospace and digital security. Establishing a local maintenance facility would expand its presence by providing direct technical support for military equipment used by Japanese forces.
The project could also strengthen long-term industrial ties between Thales and Japanese companies, although details of the planned facility and its initial capacity have yet to be announced.
Thales shares traded in Paris were up approximately 1.5% around midday on Monday, according to the report.
