Japan Enhances Security Ties with NATO

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba had a meeting with Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Mark Rutte, at Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo. Both leaders confirmed strategic importance of Japan-NATO partnership for Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions. To raise their cooperation to a new height, Ishiba and Rutte concurred to deepen enhance the ties between Japan and NATO, including cyber, maritime security or interoperability. 

Ishiba stressed importance of Japan-NATO cooperation, as international security becomes inseparable between Europe and Asia. “The need for security cooperation among NATO and Indo-Pacific partners, including Japan, has increased even further,” said Ishiba in the meeting. Rutte hoped to further strengthen Japan-NATO cooperation, including in the field of defense industry.

 

Both leaders issued a joint statement after the meeting. They shared a notion that continuing Japan-NATO cooperation would benefit security and resilience of Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions. “With the steady development of our partnership, we are taking steps to increase our ability to address these challenges in our respective regions, through our strategic cooperation in areas like cyber, space, emerging and disruptive technologies and interoperability,” says the statement.

 

The challenge in Euro-Atlantic region apparently means Russian aggression in Ukraine. They made their position clear that “Russian aggression against Ukraine is a serious violation of international law, including UN Charter.” Rutte welcomed Japan’s willingness to participate in the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU).

 

In a meeting with Rutte the day before, Minister of Defense, Gen Nakatani, announced that Japan would join NSATU to support NATO’s provision with equipment, repair and training for Ukrainian Force. “It is very meaningful for collecting lessons of Russian aggression in Ukraine,” said Nakatani.

 

To make Japan’s support for NATO efficient, Japan is going to adjust the specifics of equipment to enhance defense capability of the both. ”It is necessary to develop defense equipment taking into account whether its specification meets the global standards and beside having perspectives of maintaining war sustainability in the case of contingency and international cooperation. As the Constitution of Japan renounces use of force as means of settling international disputes, Nakatani insisted that Japan’s support would have nothing to do with actual battles.

 

The joint statement condemns increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, including Russia’s use of North Korean missiles against Ukraine and the engagement of North Korean troops in combat against Ukraine. The leaders also opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion in East China Sea and South China Sea, indicating maritime advance by China. It can be interpreted as Japan’s effort to keep Europe engaged in security in East Asia.

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