Tokyo, Apr. 9, (dpa/GNA) – Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed on Wednesday to deepen his country’s cooperation with NATO in the defence industry in light of global security threats from China and Russia.
Speaking to the press after a meeting in Tokyo, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized the need for the defence alliance to work with Japan at what he called a “crucial” time for security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions.
Japan and NATO are to work together on the development of cutting-edge technologies that can be used for both civilian and military purposes, Rutte and Ishiba said.
Japan and NATO have intensified their partnership since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with many in Asia fearing that what is happening in Ukraine today could happen in the South China Sea if China invades Taiwan.
Ishiba said Tokyo welcomes the defence alliance’s increasing engagement in the region, adding that a stronger NATO would greatly benefit Japan.
GNA
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