Japan formally launched an independent mission to the NATO military alliance on Thursday, as the Japanese government and NATO aim to strengthen cooperation amid rising tensions between Russia, China and North Korea. Previously, the Japanese Embassy in Belgium also covered NATO. The new mission will be led by Osamu Izawa, who takes over the role currently held by Ambassador to Belgium Masahiro Mikami. Japan and NATO held high-level talks in Tokyo on Thursday to discuss regional security issues in East Asia and Europe, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and relations between Russia and China have grown closer, NATO has joined forces with Japan and three other countries in the Indo-Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, although they are not part of the military alliance. , has deepened its relationship with South Korea.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has advocated for a NATO-like security framework in Asia, but has not provided details.
As competition between the United States and China intensifies, countries that share security concerns are strengthening ties. Beijing has criticized growing ties with NATO and its Indo-Pacific partners, fearing Washington will move to form a NATO-like alliance in the region.
