diff --git a/build_defs/java_opts.bzl b/build_defs/java_opts.bzl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b6ee8142ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build_defs/java_opts.bzl
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+"""Java options and protobuf-specific java build rules with those options."""
+load("@rules_java//java:defs.bzl", "java_library")
+load("@rules_jvm_external//:defs.bzl", "java_export")
+
+JAVA_OPTS = [
+    "-source 8",
+    "-target 8",
+    "-Xep:Java8ApiChecker:ERROR",
+]
+
+def protobuf_java_export(**kwargs):
+    java_export(
+        javacopts = JAVA_OPTS,
+        **kwargs,
+    )
+
+def protobuf_java_library(**kwargs):
+    java_library(
+        javacopts = JAVA_OPTS,
+        **kwargs,
+    )