NATO plans to open a representative office in Japan
NATO plans to open a representative office in Japan – what will be the first in Asia – to facilitate increasingly frequent consultations in the region. This was reported by the Nikkei newspaper, citing officials from the Tokyo government and NATO. The venue will allow for discussions with NATO’s security partners, including South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, according to the Nikkei report, in light of what Washington calls “new geopolitical challenges” posed by China and Russia. When asked about the news, NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu did not want to give details about the ongoing deliberations between the organization’s allied countries: “NATO has offices and liaison agreements with various international bodies and partner countries, and the Allies regularly renew this cooperation to best serve the needs of each of NATO and our partners.” Lungescu added that NATO has a close partnership with Japan that continues to grow, and that this cooperation covers a wide range of areas, including cyber defense, maritime security, humanitarian assistance and international relief. Disaster Relief, Non-Proliferation, Science and Technology. The proposed office is expected to open next year in Tokyo, and details on logistics between the two countries are still being negotiated. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg visited Japan in January and, in a meeting with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, promised to strengthen ties, citing the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the growing rise of China.
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