Japan Drone 2026  opened on Wednesday, June 3, in Makuhari, Chiba, with Taiwan fielding 28 drone and aerospace companies under a dedicated “Taiwan Pavilion.” Organized by Taiwan Excellence Drone International Business Opportunities Alliance (TEDIBOA) and Taiwan Drone Association with support from the Economic Ministry, the delegation aimed to capture growing opportunities in Japan’s expanding drone market. 

Taiwan’s Representative to Japan Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) attended the opening and highlighted the industry’s rapid rise. Taiwan’s drone exports reached US$93.42 million last year, a 21-fold jump, and exports from January to April this year already surpassed all of 2025 at US$147.73 million. 

Japan’s market offers significant potential. Over 91% of the country’s 360,000 drones are Chinese-made, with domestic production at just 3%. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has designated small drones a national priority industry, creating an opening for Taiwan's "non-red supply chain" offerings.

Lee noted that Taiwan and Japan have complementary strengths and collaborate on components, R&D, and cybersecurity certification to build a more secure drone supply chain together.