TOKYO -- Japan will harmonize the standards for domestically produced defense equipment with those of the U.S. and Europe to reduce maintenance costs and increase business opportunities for Japanese defense companies, under draft guidelines issued by the government on Tuesday.
The plans come as increasingly sophisticated radar and sensor technology for defense equipment drives up the cost of maintenance and parts replacement. Maintenance costs reached around 2 trillion yen (about $14 billion) in fiscal 2023, accounting for approximately 30% of defense-related expenses. In 1990, the ratio stood at more than 10%.
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