Switzerland’s National Armaments Director, Urs Loher, travelled to Japan from 4th to 7th August 2026, and held talks with Japanese defence officials and technology companies. Is Bern looking to widen its network of armament partners beyond Europe?
The visit has fuelled speculation that Switzerland could be exploring cooperation on the Global Combat Air Programme, though Swiss authorities have not confirmed that link.
Loher met with representatives of Japan’s Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency, or ATLA, which serves as the Japanese counterpart to Switzerland’s own procurement agency, armasuisse. He also toured ATLA’s Future Capabilities Development Centre, a research facility that develops, tests and evaluates emerging defence technologies, with a focus on cross-domain systems, communications, sensor analysis, electronic warfare and the integration of new technologies into future defence platforms.
The trip also included a meeting with the Deputy Minister for International Relations at Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Beyond government contacts, Loher met representatives from four Japanese companies: Mitsubishi Electric, Blue Innovation, AirKamuy and Solafune.
According to Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi, those four companies specialize in areas including anti-drone systems, military robotics, reconnaissance drones and intelligence-data analysis platforms. Armasuisse’s own statement described the discussions as centering on “armament policy topics and potential future cooperations in the defence sector” without detailing specific programs or technologies under consideration.
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Why Japan? And Why Now?
Armasuisse framed the visit as part of a broader strategic shift. The trip aligns with the Federal Council’s armament policy strategy, which includes a goal of intensifying future defense-industrial cooperation with democratic nations outside Europe, specifically citing the Asia-Pacific region.
This marks Loher’s first visit to Japan in his role, according to the official Swiss statement. The timing follows Switzerland’s broader efforts to diversify its defense partnerships at a moment when European supply chains and armament policy are under pressure from wider geopolitical shifts.
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Fighter Jet Speculation
The visit has drawn attention because of its timing relative to developments around the Global Combat Air Programme, or GCAP, a joint sixth-generation fighter jet project involving the UK, Italy and Japan. Defense outlet AirDataNews suggested the meetings could be connected to that program, although neither the Swiss nor Japanese governments have confirmed any such link, and the official Swiss press release does not mention GCAP at all.
Adding to the speculation, the visit coincided with an announcement from Mitsubishi Electric that it will build three new facilities dedicated to producing electronic systems for the GCAP fighter. While that overlap has fueled commentary among defense-industry observers, it remains circumstantial, and Swiss officials have described the discussions only in general terms as covering possible cooperation in armament matters.
Switzerland Explores Defence Cooperation With Japan: What Comes Next
For Switzerland, the visit represents an early-stage exploratory step rather than a concrete agreement. Armasuisse’s statement indicates that discussions focused on exchanging views regarding potential cooperation, without specifying a timeline, budget or particular program that might result from the talks. Whether the discussions evolve into a formal partnership, and whether that involves the GCAP fighter program, remains to be seen, and further details are likely to emerge only as concrete negotiations, if any, develop.
