Defense Minister Gen Nakatani attended a meeting of defense ministers from NATO nations in Brussels on Thursday, along with the defense chiefs of South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. The participating ministers agreed that the peace and stability of both the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions are interconnected and expressed their commitment to enhancing security cooperation. NATO invited Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand as partner countries to this defense ministers’ meeting for the first time.
Nakatani emphasized the importance of deepening cooperation with like-minded countries that share common values and strategic interests. He called for stronger collaboration between Japan and NATO, as well as between NATO and the Indo-Pacific Four (IP4), to counter attempts by China and Russia to alter the status quo through force.
Regarding Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, Nakatani reaffirmed Japan’s support for Ukraine by providing additional Self-Defense Force vehicles. He also expressed concerns about China’s large-scale military exercises near Taiwan on Monday.
Prior to the NATO meeting, Nakatani met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. He expressed his appreciation for NATO’s continued engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.
During his time at the NATO meeting, Nakatani held bilateral talks with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. Additionally, he had discussions with his counterparts from South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand – all members of IP4.