France has voiced opposition to the idea of opening a NATO liaison office in Tokyo, a stance relayed to a Japanese television outlet by a French diplomatic source on NHK.
From Paris’s perspective, NATO is primarily a security framework for the North Atlantic area. French officials maintain that NATO’s core activities should be focused on the North Atlantic region rather than expanding its footprint elsewhere.
The same source suggests that if NATO were to oversee security developments in the Indo-Pacific, the responsibility should be carried out by the embassies of the alliance member countries rather than through a formal NATO office in Tokyo.
Observers interpret France’s position as part of a cautious approach to avoid provoking Beijing and to maintain a stable dynamic with China in a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape.
Former French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly disapproves of plans to establish a NATO representation in Japan, arguing that the alliance’s focus should remain on the North Atlantic domain and not extend to the Indo-Pacific through a formal office in Tokyo.
Meanwhile, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi declined to comment on the matter. It has been reported that Macron is against moving forward with a NATO office in Tokyo, reaffirming the view in Paris that NATO’s attention should stay anchored in Europe’s security sphere.