In a significant step towards strengthening Japan’s partnership with NATO, Japan announced on Tuesday its interest in participating in NATO’s command structure for its Ukrainian mission, which is stationed in Germany. This move marks a substantial enhancement in relations with the primarily European defense coalition.
Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani revealed this ambition during discussions held with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Tokyo. Japan, having already provided Ukraine with defense resources and support in its ongoing conflict, now seeks to join the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) initiative, based at a U.S. military base in Wiesbaden, Germany.
Though specifics of the mission, such as the deployment of Japan Self Defense Force members to Wiesbaden, remain a topic for further deliberation, Japan’s involvement would be non-combative. This aligns with Japan’s post-World War II policy of restricting the military’s engagement in direct conflict.
Minister Nakatani expressed Japan’s desire to deepen its security partnership with NATO, highlighting that participation in the NSATU mission would offer valuable insights into Russia’s incursion into Ukraine. “Both Japan and NATO face numerous challenges, and our security environment has grown increasingly severe,” Nakatani stated.
Japan has been vocal about how Russia’s aggressive actions in Ukraine demonstrate that security challenges in Europe and Asia are interconnected. Consequently, Tokyo has aimed to enhance its collaboration with NATO while simultaneously fortifying defense alliances across the Indo-Pacific region, notably with the United States.
During the meeting, Secretary General Rutte remarked on the rising military activities and coordination between China, North Korea, and Russia, which he described as threats to global security. He emphasized the importance of considering Euro-Atlantic occurrences relevant to the Indo-Pacific, and vice versa.
Perceiving China as a regional threat, Japan has accelerated its defense capabilities, including preparing for long-range military strikes. Rutte acknowledged concerns regarding China’s military expansions and maneuvers near Taiwan, urging NATO and its allies to cooperate in maintaining unimpeded maritime navigation in the area.
“China is backing Russia’s initiatives and is swiftly ramping up its armed forces, including its navy,” Rutte commented after touring Japan’s advanced frigate Mogami at the Yokosuka naval base. “We must remain vigilant and collaborate deeply.”
Rutte voiced his intention to expand cooperation between Japan and NATO across different sectors, encompassing crisis management, cybersecurity, maritime surveillance, and joint defense ventures.
In recent times, NATO has been fostering closer ties with Japan, along with South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand—collectively termed the IP4—by engaging them in NATO ministerial and summit meetings.
The United States, too, has expressed interest in seeing NATO become more active in the Indo-Pacific sphere. Rutte commended U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s latest visit to Japan, aimed at reinforcing Washington’s commitment to its alliance with Japan and its strategic presence in the region. He underscored Japan’s unique standing as the sole non-NATO member of the Group of Seven nations.
Rutte’s visit to Japan marks his first since assuming leadership of the Belgium-based alliance in October, with plans to meet Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday. Prime Minister Ishiba has previously advocated for an Asia-oriented security framework mirroring NATO, although specific plans remain undisclosed.
As tensions between the U.S. and China intensify, nations with shared security concerns continue to solidify their alliances. However, Beijing has criticized NATO’s burgeoning partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, apprehensive of Washington’s potential move to replicate a NATO-style alliance within the region.