Japan’s Foreign Ministry plans to recruit overseas experts who can spot dual-use technologies, connect Japanese and foreign companies, and attract foreign venture capital, according to a report by Tomáš Novák dated 27 September 2026. The source covers Japan only, so the lessons for Central and Eastern Europe below are our interpretation.
What Japan plans
The ministry wants specialists who can track technologies with both military and commercial uses, identify promising companies and help Japanese and foreign businesses work together. Officials also hope the programme will encourage overseas venture capital firms to invest in Japanese companies. This gives diplomats a larger role in technology scouting, alongside the ministries, research institutions and private firms that have traditionally driven development.
Why “dual-use” matters
Dual-use technologies serve civilian markets but can also be adapted for military purposes. A system built for industrial automation, satellite services, drones or artificial intelligence may later be used for surveillance, logistics, communications or unmanned operations. As a result, even a small startup can hold capabilities that matter for defence planning, and a research partnership can raise questions about supply chains and data access.
Bridging money and know-how
The plan targets two gaps. Smaller Japanese firms often have strong engineering but lack international sales networks, investor contacts and knowledge of overseas procurement. Foreign investors, in turn, may hesitate when they cannot assess a company’s technology or Japan’s commercial environment. Experts fluent in both technology and finance could present firms to overseas funds and help investors weigh risks tied to regulation or defence use.
Lessons for the CEE region
These are questions the article invites, not conclusions it draws. Its own context is relevant, though: it notes that governments in the United States, Europe and Asia have tightened scrutiny of investment, research partnerships and exports involving advanced technologies.
- Does anyone in our public institutions systematically track dual-use technologies in local firms?
- Can small companies find foreign partners, investors and procurement knowledge without a lot of trial and error?
- Are there clear rules on what information such experts can see and how commercial data is protected?
The third question matters because the source says the ministry itself still has to settle these points. Sensitive research must be shared without exposing proprietary technology.
Caveats
Diplomats, investors, engineers and defence officials measure success differently, so coordination will be a test. The article also stresses that diplomatic attention cannot replace a strong product, a viable market or skilled management. Private funds will still decide for themselves. The programme is so far a plan, and the article reports no results.
Source: Tomáš Novák, report on Japan’s plan to recruit overseas dual-use technology experts, 27 September 2026.
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Picture: Gemini AI