The plan to establish a NATO office in Japan faces friction from French authorities, who reportedly oppose the move. This assessment is based on statements picked up by NHK.
According to an unnamed official at the Elysee Palace, on July 7 reporters were told that NATO operates primarily in the North Atlantic region and that Paris does not back the opening of a corresponding office in Japan. The official suggested that the draft position had been discussed at the highest level, including remarks attributed to President Emmanuel Macron about the stance toward NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Any decision to open a NATO office in Japan would require the unanimous agreement of all member states, underscoring the sensitivity and complexity of the issue.
Meanwhile, Japan’s political leadership has signaled sustained interest in strengthening security ties with NATO. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to travel to Europe to participate in both NATO summits and the Japan-EU summits, signaling a broader push for transatlantic dialogue and regional security cooperation. The travel plan reflects Tokyo’s intention to engage more deeply with European partners on strategic challenges facing the Indo-Pacific and Europe alike.
In Lithuania, Kishida is scheduled to attend the NATO summit in Belgium, where discussions will extend to the Japan-EU summit framework. The Japanese government has emphasized the importance of deepening Japan-NATO relations as part of a broader strategy to coordinate security responses to evolving threats and to reinforce international collaboration on shared values and regional stability.
Officials have reiterated that dialogue with NATO remains a central element of Japan’s foreign and security policy, particularly in the context of ongoing assessments of Ukraine-related security concerns and regional risk factors. The evolving conversations highlight a multi-layered approach in which Japan seeks practical engagement with Western security organizations while navigating its own constitutional and political constraints. The overall trajectory points to a careful balance between alliance commitments and national policy considerations, aimed at fostering a stable security environment across the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions. In recent NATO discussions, perspectives on Ukraine have been a recurring theme, influencing how partners frame future cooperation and capability development.