In the framework of the national parliamentary session, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida confirmed that Japan has no plans to become a member of NATO, nor in any way to join the US-led military standoff. This announcement follows the publication of a series of reports that Japan has been working to open an office in Tokyo, the first in Asia.
In this regard, the Japanese ambassador to the United States, Koji Tomita, previously revealed that Japan is “working” to establish a role in the Tokyo NATO relationship. This office, scheduled to open next year, is expected to facilitate NATO consultations with Japan and other partners in the Asia-Pacific region, such as Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, in the face of geopolitical risks and challenges posed by China and Russia.
However, while Kishida was also thinking of establishing a reinforced NATO role in the region, he stated that he did not know what was taken from the situation of this mission. The military bloc is interested in expanding the strategic geopolitical and security region such as the Indo-Pacific, inviting countries such as Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea to participate in its summit.
This initiative raised a series of criticisms from Russia, which also warned of NATO’s efforts to expand its activities towards Asia. China also urged its Asian neighbors to put “great vigilance” against these Western moves, warning that they could undermine regional peace and stability.
