NATO Parliamentarians Highlight Growing Interdependence between Euro Atlantic and Indo-Pacific

A senior delegation of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) concluded a week-long visit to Japan, underscoring the deepening strategic partnership between NATO and Japan amid a rapidly evolving security landscape in the Indo-Pacific. Members of the Economics and Security Committee and the Political Committee exchanged views with Minister of Defence Shinjiro Koizumi, among other leading figures from government, parliament, industry, and academia.

The visit took place as the Indo-Pacific faces increasing instability generated by the assertive and destabilising military postures of China, North Korea, and Russia. Japanese officials emphasised that developments in the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic are inseparable, noting China’s and North Korea’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine and the borderless nature of emerging threats.

Japanese interlocutors outlined their country’s ongoing updates to key national security documents, Tokyo’s plans to ease defence equipment export restrictions, and its significant increases in defence spending. Prime Minister’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, Kei Sato, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fundamentally strengthening Japan’s defence capabilities, including meeting the 2% of GDP defence spending benchmark by 2026 – two years ahead of schedule. He also highlighted Japan’s priority to secure critical supply chains, particularly for critical raw materials, and underlined the importance of cooperation with like-minded partners in safeguarding global stability.

Japanese interlocutors highlighted the importance of engaging with both NATO and the European Union, with whom Japan shares a commitment to supporting Ukraine, safeguarding supply chains, and upholding the international rules-based order.

The importance of the parliamentary dimension of Japan–NATO cooperation was highlighted throughout the visit. During discussions with members of the Japanese Diet, parliamentarians explored ways to deepen their cooperation and interactions, including the participation of Japanese legislators in NATO PA sessions.

During the visit, the NATO PA delegation gained firsthand insights into Japan’s rapidly evolving defence industry and innovation ecosystem. Briefings at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries demonstrated Japan’s accelerating efforts to expand defence capabilities, including in long-range strike systems. A visit to Kyocera, in Kyoto, further showcased Japan’s enduring strengths in technological innovation and its strong emphasis on supply chain security.

With defence spending rising and export restrictions set to ease further, Japanese industry leaders view this period as a pivotal opportunity to deepen cooperation with partners across the Euro-Atlantic. These developments point to significant potential for enhanced transpacific and transatlantic defence industrial collaboration in the years ahead.

During the visit, NATO PA President Marcos Perestrello also addressed students and researchers at the University of Tokyo, outlining how innovation, industry, and international cooperation form the foundation of shared security.

“NATO and Japan may be separated by geography, but we are united by values and interests – democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law. When the Euro Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions work together, we move the global balance towards peace and freedom,” President Perestrello said.

The NATO PA delegation consisted of 26 legislators from 18 Allied nations. The delegation was led by the Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on NATO Partnerships (PCNP), Lorenzo Cesa (Italy) and the Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on Transatlantic Economic Relations (ESCTER), Baroness Denise Kingsmill (UK). 

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Photos © Tatsuo Nagata 

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly is institutionally separate from NATO but serves as an essential link between NATO and the parliaments of the NATO nations. It provides greater transparency of NATO policies and fosters better understanding of the Alliance’s objectives and missions among legislators and citizens of the Alliance.