Terilogy is based in Tokyo with 400 employees. Kaneda told me that Japanese companies have been buying Israeli technology for about 10 to 15 years. These customers are aware that Israeli cybersecurity vendors provide “really cutting-edge solutions,” and ignore geopolitical noise around Israel, prioritizing the quality of the cyber solutions that they procure.

Terilogy distributes Israeli technology, working with integrators like Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) - one of Japan’s largest companies, with 350,000 employees. NTT has a 10-person office in Israel, and its Business Development Director, Asaf Green, spoke to me about what vendors are expected to do to sell into Japan.

Green says that translation into Japanese and localization are inevitable - and that this is still a barrier for many vendors. Both Green and Terilogy’s Kaneda mentioned that the Israeli and Japanese business cultures are as far apart on the culture map as can be - Kaneda noted that Israeli entrepreneurs would do well to “be patient,” and understand the Japanese way.

Terilogy has a strong portfolio of Israeli and American cybersecurity vendors that it brings into the Japanese market, as a major distributor. The company brought at least 5 people to CyberTech to scout for new technologies. Meanwhile, NTT makes direct investments in Israeli companies off its balance sheet - they’ve invested in about 15 Israeli companies to date.

Green noted, “We are hoping that now we will see more foreign delegations coming into Israel - and not only Japanese ones, global.”

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Minister Nagy floated a pitch to Israeli businesses that could benefit defense and technology firms facing political headwinds in Western Europe:

“So it can be a starting point for startups in form of a joint venture, and it also can be a factory for defense industry, for export activity from the European Union.”

The subtext here is that Israeli companies could establish production lines in Hungary - a NATO and EU member - and gain a “Made in the EU” stamp that bypasses regulatory friction. Meanwhile, Israeli companies could gain access to EU defense contracts, backed by Hungary’s €16 billion military modernization program.

Nagy highlighted the strong cooperation between Israel and Hungary’s defense and tourism sectors, and raised the topic of cooperation in outer space.

The two economies are more complementary than competitive. Israel functions as the architect, designing complex systems and generating high-margin software. Hungary positions itself as the builder, offering a 9% corporate tax rate, developed infrastructure, and labor to physically construct these systems for the continental market.

But a partnership like this carries geopolitical risk. Hungary’s ongoing friction with Brussels over rule-of-law issues means Israeli companies establishing headquarters in Budapest could find themselves caught in the crossfire between the Hungarian government and the EU leadership.

While they have a similar population size, Israel and Hungary’s economies reveal a structural divergence. Hungary projects 3.1% GDP growth for 2026, driven by its role as a manufacturing hub for German automotive and battery sectors - a high-beta derivative of the German industrial engine. Israel’s projected 4.9% rebound is powered by global demand for cybersecurity, defense technology, and AI, sectors less exposed to European industrial cycles.

Minister Nagy emphasized his invitation to Israeli companies to "produce, to have benefit, not just from Hungary, but also for the European Union market.”

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