Close Menu
Best in TechnologyBest in Technology
  • News
  • Phones
  • Laptops
  • Gadgets
  • Gaming
  • AI
  • Tips
  • More
    • Web Stories
    • Global
    • Press Release

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest tech news and updates directly to your inbox.

What's On

Lenovo’s New Laptop Concept Can Swivel the Screen From Landscape to Portrait

5 September 2025

The Best Robot Lawn Mowers

5 September 2025

It’s Possible to Remove the Forever Chemicals in Drinking Water. Will It Happen?

5 September 2025
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Just In
  • Lenovo’s New Laptop Concept Can Swivel the Screen From Landscape to Portrait
  • The Best Robot Lawn Mowers
  • It’s Possible to Remove the Forever Chemicals in Drinking Water. Will It Happen?
  • The Unexpected Winners of Trump’s Trade War
  • Cronos: The New Dawn Switch 2 Gameplay — The First 45 Minutes
  • Neuralink’s Bid to Trademark ‘Telepathy’ and ‘Telekinesis’ Faces Legal Issues
  • Hollow Knight: Silksong – Review In Progress
  • Our Favorite Smart Lock Is $80 Off
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest Vimeo
Best in TechnologyBest in Technology
  • News
  • Phones
  • Laptops
  • Gadgets
  • Gaming
  • AI
  • Tips
  • More
    • Web Stories
    • Global
    • Press Release
Subscribe
Best in TechnologyBest in Technology
Home » The Japanese Robot Controversy Lurking in Israel’s Military Supply Chain
News

The Japanese Robot Controversy Lurking in Israel’s Military Supply Chain

News RoomBy News Room4 September 20243 Mins Read
Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Reddit Telegram Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

Japan, for example, makes it relatively easy to export dual-use technologies to the United States and Europe, and vice versa. Because they are recognized as trusted countries under Japanese export law, companies in those states are generally free to use Japanese dual-use technology to produce arms—and to, in turn, export those arms to other states (subject to their own export controls).

This, itself, has drawn the BDS activists’ ire: They want FANUC to end its relationship with American defense contractors like General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin, which sell considerable advanced weaponry to Israel. “We demand that such business relationships be immediately terminated and that the two companies never do business with each other again,” Imano said in June. But the activists go further, arguing that FANUC is, despite what it says publicly, actually doing business with Israeli defense firms.

“FANUC sells its robots and provides maintenance and inspection services to Israeli military companies such as Elbit Systems,” Imano claimed.

FANUC has denied this charge. “When we sell products to Israel, we carry out the necessary transaction screening in accordance with Japan’s Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act, confirm the user’s business activities and intended use, and do not sell to Israel if the products are for military use,” the company wrote to HuffPost.

The company added that, after reviewing their records of 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 their robotic arms had been sold to an Israeli company that produces military hardware “after confirming that the machine was to be used for civilian medical purposes.”

At the same time, the company admitted that when they sell through intermediaries, of which Israel has several, they are not always able to guarantee “who the final customer is.”

There is, however, ample evidence that suggests FANUC arms have made their way into the Israel defense manufacturing sector. Multiple job listings posted by Elbit Systems, the primary domestic supplier of the Israel Defense Forces, list “knowledge of FANUC … controls” as either an advantage to job applicants or a requirement. One such job listing, from June, comes from Elbit Cyclone, the division that won a contract to produce fuselage components for the F-35 fighter jet. In January, Israel’s Ministry of Defense published a video showing a FANUC robotic arm at an Elbit factory, handling munitions.

Another Israeli company, Bet Shemesh Engines (BSEL), more than a decade ago created marketing videos and uploaded photos to their company website featuring the FANUC robotic arms. The CV of a former employee suggests the company used FANUC robotics to assemble aircraft engines, which may be used for civilian rather than military purposes. Bet Shemesh counts the Israeli Air Force as a major client.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
Previous ArticleNYT Mini Crossword today: puzzle answers for Tuesday, September 3
Next Article NYT Strands today: hints, spangram and answers for Wednesday, September 4

Related Articles

News

Lenovo’s New Laptop Concept Can Swivel the Screen From Landscape to Portrait

5 September 2025
News

The Best Robot Lawn Mowers

5 September 2025
News

It’s Possible to Remove the Forever Chemicals in Drinking Water. Will It Happen?

5 September 2025
News

The Unexpected Winners of Trump’s Trade War

5 September 2025
News

Neuralink’s Bid to Trademark ‘Telepathy’ and ‘Telekinesis’ Faces Legal Issues

5 September 2025
News

Our Favorite Smart Lock Is $80 Off

4 September 2025
Demo
Top Articles

ChatGPT o1 vs. o1-mini vs. 4o: Which should you use?

15 December 2024105 Views

Costco partners with Electric Era to bring back EV charging in the U.S.

28 October 202495 Views

5 laptops to buy instead of the M4 MacBook Pro

17 November 202491 Views

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest tech news and updates directly to your inbox.

Latest News
News

Neuralink’s Bid to Trademark ‘Telepathy’ and ‘Telekinesis’ Faces Legal Issues

News Room5 September 2025
Gaming

Hollow Knight: Silksong – Review In Progress

News Room5 September 2025
News

Our Favorite Smart Lock Is $80 Off

News Room4 September 2025
Most Popular

The Spectacular Burnout of a Solar Panel Salesman

13 January 2025129 Views

ChatGPT o1 vs. o1-mini vs. 4o: Which should you use?

15 December 2024105 Views

Costco partners with Electric Era to bring back EV charging in the U.S.

28 October 202495 Views
Our Picks

The Unexpected Winners of Trump’s Trade War

5 September 2025

Cronos: The New Dawn Switch 2 Gameplay — The First 45 Minutes

5 September 2025

Neuralink’s Bid to Trademark ‘Telepathy’ and ‘Telekinesis’ Faces Legal Issues

5 September 2025

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest tech news and updates directly to your inbox.

Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
© 2025 Best in Technology. All Rights Reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.