TOKYO/TAIPEI: The CEO of UFORCE, a Ukrainian producer of attack drones, flew to Tokyo in April with a pitch for Japanese officials and defense contractors: build thousands of our drones to defend yourself and allies. Days earlier, US troops had used waterborne UFORCE drones to sink a ship during a secretive exercise held where the South China Sea meets the Pacific. And for years, the firm’s Magura surface vessel has helped turn parts of the Black Sea into no-go zones for the Russian navy.

Japan moves to join Europe’s Eurodrone programme to diversify drone supplies and boost maritime surveillance as China‑Russia training raises alarm in Brussels. What would Tokyo’s…

Taiwan's drone spending plans for defense could also boost business overseas.