Japan has officially established an independent mission to the NATO military alliance, as Tokyo and NATO seek to strengthen cooperation amid escalating tensions from Russia, China, and North Korea.
Previously, NATO issues were handled by the Japanese embassy in Belgium. The new mission is led by Osamu Izawa, who has taken over from the ambassador in Belgium, Masahiro Mikami.
On Thursday, Japan and NATO held high-level consultations in Tokyo to discuss regional security issues in East Asia and Europe, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the closer ties between Moscow and Beijing, NATO has deepened its connections with Japan and three other partners in the Indo-Pacific region—Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea—though not within the framework of a military alliance.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba advocated for the establishment of a security system in Asia similar to NATO, although he did not provide specifics.
Countries facing common security challenges are strengthening ties amid intensifying rivalry between the United States and China.
Beijing criticizes NATO's growing relationships with partners in the Indo-Pacific region, fearing that Washington may pursue the creation of a NATO-like alliance in the area.