BERLIN, April 23 (UPI) -- Germany has reason to believe it is about to finalize a billion-dollar deal with Japan on military equipment.
German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung, during his Asia trip last week, met with Japanese Denfens Minister Fumio Kyuma. While Jung had initially said he was not willing to use his trip for arms deals, German news magazine Der Spiegel said Monday he had led experts' talks involving Kyuma to find "a common relationship."
Japanese military officials will visit Germany and examine Bundeswehr military equipment, such as the Eurofighter jet, choppers and submarines, the news magazine said.
While a Eurofighter order is unlikely due to Japan's close ties with the United States, Tokyo is interested in transport and training helicopters, as well as a new German fuel cell engine for submarines and German technology to detect sea mines, the magazine said.
