Controversy over Japanese robots lurking in Israel’s military supply chain
For example, Japan makes it relatively easy to export dual-use technology to the United States and Europe, and vice versa. Because it is recognized as a trusted country under Japanese export laws, companies in those countries are often free to use Japanese dual-use technology to produce weapons—and, in turn, export those weapons to other countries (subject to their own export controls).
This in itself has drawn the ire of BDS activists: They want FANUC to end its relationships with US defense contractors like General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin, which sell significant amounts of advanced weapons to Israel. “We demand that such business relationships be terminated immediately and that the two companies never do business with each other again,” Imano said in June. But activists go further, arguing that FANUC, despite its public statements, is actually doing business with Israeli defense companies.
“FANUC sells its robots and provides maintenance and inspection services to Israeli military companies such as Elbit Systems,” Imano said.
FANUC has denied the allegations. “When we sell products to Israel, we conduct the necessary transaction screening under Japan’s Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act, confirm the business and intended use of the user, and do not sell to Israel if the product is intended for military use,” the company wrote to HuffPost.
The company added that, after reviewing its records over the past five years, “we have not sold any products for military use to the Israeli companies Elbit Systems, IAI, BSEL, Rosenshine Plast or AMI from our company or our European subsidiary. We have also not sold any products for military use to other Israeli companies from our company or our European subsidiary.” The company identified one instance where one of its robotic arms was sold to an Israeli company that makes military hardware “after confirming that the machine would be used for civilian medical purposes.”
At the same time, the company admits that when it sells through intermediaries, some of which are in Israel, it cannot always guarantee “who the end customer is.”
However, there is mounting evidence that FANUC weapons have penetrated Israel’s defense manufacturing industry. Multiple job listings posted by Elbit Systems, the primary domestic supplier to the Israel Defense Forces, lists “knowledge of FANUC controls…” as either an advantage for job applicants or a requirement. Such a to-do listsince June, coming from Elbit Cyclone, the division that won a contract to produce fuselage components for the F-35 fighter jet. In January, the Israeli Defense Ministry released a video showing a FANUC robotic arm at an Elbit plant, ammunition handling
Another Israeli company, Bet Shemesh Engines (BSEL), created more than a decade ago marketing video and uploaded photos of FANUC robot arms to the company website. A former employee’s CV shows that the company used FANUC robots to assemble aircraft engines, which could be used for civilian rather than military purposes. Bet Shemesh counts the Israeli Air Force as a major customer.
