Indian Council of World Affairs

Introduction

Japan was in talks to open a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) liaison office in Tokyo. However, the Vilnius Summit Communique released at the meeting of the NATO Heads of State and Government of the North Atlantic Council on 11 & 12 July 2023 does not mention about the Tokyo Liaison Office of NATO. The idea of opening a liaison office was first discussed between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg during the latter's visit to Tokyo at the end of January 2023.[i] This is important as Japan is not a treaty member of NATO but has been seemingly interested in strengthening its association and dialogue and cooperation with NATO.

NATO has similar liaison offices at the United Nations in New York, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna, as well as in non-NATO member countries like Georgia, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, and Kuwait.[ii] The proposal for the NATO liaison office in Tokyo can be considered as having taken shape against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine conflict that began in February 2022. The Ukrainian crisis has forced Japan to rethink regional security,[iii] considering the evolving conflict has repercussions far beyond Europe's borders, including for the Indo-Pacific.

This issue brief deals with the significance of the Japan-NATO relations, the responses and its implication on the Indo-Pacific security framework.

Japan-NATO

Japan has been a member of NATO’s “partners across the globe” for over a decade.[iv] Kishida government’s approach has been adopting on external outreach from the outset, and the proposal for the NATO liaison office in Tokyo is seen as part of that approach. Not only with NATO, but it is also observed that other important developments have been undertaken in the recent past, such as in October 2022, when Japan and Australia signed a new enhanced security cooperation agreement, pledging to deepen their defensive and security ties. In December 2022, Tokyo announced that it would jointly develop a next-generation fighter jet with the UK and Italy, by 2035. Additionally, in January 2023, Tokyo signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement with the UK. The Kishida government has also made efforts to recalibrate security cooperation with South Korea by resuming leadership-level visits between Seoul and Tokyo. Hence, along with serving as an information conduit, a NATO liaison office could help Japan expand access to other European defence programmes[v]

Japan has also been participating in NATO’s Partnership Interoperability Initiative, the Alliance’s programme for strengthening partner equipment interoperability, since the initiative’s founding in 2014.

In April 2022, Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs attended the NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs meeting. This was the first time a Japanese Foreign Minister attended the NATO Foreign Ministers’ meeting and delivered a speech.[vi] The Japanese Minister stated that the security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific is inseparable and welcomed the efforts of NATO to enhance its relationship with Asia-Pacific partners.[vii]

In June 2022, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida attended the NATO Summit in Madrid, along with his South Korean, Australian, and New Zealand counterparts. This group of four is also known as the Asia-Pacific Partners (AP4) of NATO, and met on the sidelines of the NATO Summit.[viii]

In the past two years, the engagement between NATO and Japan has become regular. For instance, in February 2023, during a meeting between Minister for Foreign Affairs Hayashi and NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg, the two ministers exchanged views on Ukraine's situation, Indo-Pacific and Europe. In March 2023, Prime Minister Kishida and NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg met and exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine, confirming the continuation of cooperation between Japan and NATO.

NATO and Japan have advanced their partnership, including in areas such as cyber defence. On 17 May 2023, Japan, along with Iceland, Ireland, and Ukraine, were inducted as the newest members of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE) at its headquarters in Tallinn, Estonia.[ix] On this occasion, which was also the 15^th anniversary of the CCDCOE, a message from the Japanese Defence Minister Hamada was conveyed that stated,  “For Japan, strengthening response capabilities in the cyber domain is one of the top priorities. As a member of the CCDCOE, Japan will continue to make necessary contributions, further strengthen cooperation in the cyber domain with NATO and like-minded countries, and maintain and defend an international order based on universal values and international law”.[x]

Another more recent example showcasing NATO’s inclination towards partnerships with Indo-Pacific countries can be premised from, NATO's biggest air force drill, Air Defender 23, which took place from 12-23 June 2023, where two non member countries, Sweden and Japan were invited to take part in the exercises. Sweden was an expected participant but Japan was considered as an outsider. This shows the eagerness of NATO and Japan for strengthening cooperation.[xi]

The proposal for the NATO liaison office can be viewed as part of a broader national security strategic reset, which the Kishida government has been conducting following the release of its latest National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, and Defense Buildup Program in December 2022. This builds on the previous Japanese administration’s efforts under Shinzo Abe, which entailed stronger collaborations with the US. Creating a NATO liaison office in Tokyo would have formalised the exchange of views and dissemination of information that has been taking place for years, albeit via the Danish Embassy, which serves as the NATO Contact Point Embassy in Japan.

Japan had hoped that the NATO liaison office in Tokyo would have built upon existing areas of military cooperation, such as the peace-support operations, and explore new avenues of defence cooperation, especially in the area of equipment interoperability.

NATO’s interests in a Liaison Office in Japan

The NATO 2022 Strategic Concept highlighted strengthening relations with partners in the Indo-Pacific. It entails strong ties with like-minded partners across the globe to address cross-cutting security issues and global challenges.[xii]

Infact, several NATO Foreign Ministerial meetings, and a number of high-level meetings with the partners from the Indo-Pacific has been held since 2020.[xiii] The issues for discussion included the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, climate change, and maritime security. A meeting of the NATO Military Committee of Chiefs of Defence with the Republic of Korea, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand was held at NATO Headquarters in May 2022. A NATO liaison office in Tokyo could also have meant enabling formalised discussions with NATO’s security partners, on geopolitical challenges, emerging and disruptive technologies, and cyber threats.

Moreover, NATO and Japan have unveiled the Individually Tailored Partnership Program for 2023-2026, in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11 and 12, 2023 during the NATO Summit.[xiv] It is an upgrade from the Individual Partnership and Cooperation Programme that Japan and NATO signed in 2014. The document outlines areas of cooperation over the next four years. The document outlines 16 areas of focus, including cyber defence, disinformation, space security, emerging and disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum technologies, and disarmament and nonproliferation. Some of the other newly expanded areas of cooperation include defense innovation and the standardization of defense equipment. In the newly expanded emergency management area of cooperation, Tokyo envisions joint evacuation operations from third countries. [xv]

NATO’s new Strategic Concept, released in 2022, highlighted the significance of the Indo-Pacific for Allied security. The growing assertiveness of the People’s Republic of China is a significant concern for US allies and their like-minded regional partners. NATO’s widening gaze towards Beijing is a defensive reaction to China’s growing power and strategic ambition, particularly its declaration of a “no limits” partnership with Russia. One of the key priority areas for cooperation with like-minded regional partners is global norm-setting to ensure that the rules and standards governing digital and other emerging technologies are compatible with the values of the international standard.[xvi]

The proposal for the opening of the liaison office also emerges from the perspective that NATO’s security and East Asia’s security are interconnected, as there were reports of Russia seeking delivery of weapons from North Korea for Russian forces fighting in Ukraine[xvii] and China’s military buildup along with its deepening partnership with Russia. Stoltenberg stated, “What happens in Asia matters for Europe, and what happens in Europe matters for Asia, and therefore it is even more important that NATO allies are strengthening our partnership with our Indo-Pacific partners”.[xviii]

NATO is beginning to view the Indo-Pacific region from a similar perspective to that of Japan. Both aim to promote peace, stability, and prosperity across the region to make the Indo-Pacific free and open. Today, the region faces various challenges, such as piracy, terrorism, the proliferation of WMD, natural disasters, and attempts to change the status quo. Under such circumstances, ensuring a rule-based international order that includes freedom of navigation and overflight, peaceful settlement of disputes, the rule of law, and the promotion of free trade remains a challenge.[xix]

Opposition to NATO’s Liasion Office in Tokyo

The proposal for NATO to open a liaison office in Japan was not well received by France. The French President, Emmanuel Macron, stated that the move would be a “big mistake”.[xx] France is seemingly reluctant to support anything that fuels tensions between the Alliance and China. For it, NATO stands for North Atlantic, and Article V and Article VI in its statutes limit the scope to the North Atlantic. France has argued that the Indo-Pacific region’s situational awareness can be retrieved through the embassies designated as points of contact and that this does not require a liaison office in Japan. Additonally, German officials also stated that "more time may be necessary" on the question of a Tokyo office, immediately before the commencement of the Vilnius Summit .[xxi]

A new dilemma has emerged about the NATO alliance's future role in the Indo-Pacific region at the recently concluded Vilnius Summit. There is a division among its members, about where NATO’s geographical boundaries should end and who its partners should be. Many member states believe that the alliance needs a presence in the Indo-Pacific, where it is preparing cooperation agreements with its partner countries (Australia, New Zealand, ROK, Japan)  and recently has begun to mention China in its strategic doctrine. But for some members, such extension is a step too far for the alliance, which goes beyond its stated mandate.[xxii]

Conclusion

The debate surrounding the NATO Liaison office in Japan is still developing. Even though the Vilnius Summit Communique does not mention the Liaison Office, Japan’s push to strengthen its partnership with NATO further will not die anytime soon. As NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg remarked after the Vilnius Summit, “This issue of the Liaison Office is still on the table. It will be considered in the future.”[xxiii]

*****

*Varuna Shankar, Research Intern, Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi
Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal.

Endnotes

[i] NATO to open Japan office, deepening Indo-Pacific engagement. (n.d.). Nikkei Asia. Retrieved June 16, 2023, from https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Indo-Pacific/NATO-to-open-Japan-office-deepening-Indo-Pacific-engagement

[ii] Ibid

[iii] Stewart, J. Y., Marc. (2023, May 10). Exclusive: Japan is in talks to open a NATO office as Ukraine war makes world less stable, foreign minister says. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/10/asia/japan-foreign-minister-hayashi-nato-intl-hnk/index.html

[iv] dmalloy. (2023, February 6). NATO is entering a new phase in the Indo-Pacific. Atlantic Council. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/nato-is-entering-a-new-phase-in-the-indo-pacific/

[v] jcookson. (2023, June 12). What’s really behind plans for a NATO office in Japan. Atlantic Council. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/whats-really-behind-plans-for-a-nato-office-in-japan/

[vi] Japan-NATO Relations,000049189.pdf (mofa.go.jp

[vii] Japan-NATO Relations,000049189.pdf (mofa.go.jp)

[viii] NATO Asia-Pacific partners (AP4) Leaders’ Meeting. (n.d.). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Retrieved July 6, 2023, from https://www.mofa.go.jp/a_o/ocn/ki/page1e_000413.html

[ix] CCDCOE, “The NATO CCDCOE welcomes new members Iceland, Ireland, Japan, and Ukraine”, 17^th May 2023, https://ccdcoe.org/news/2023/the-nato-ccdcoe-welcomes-new-members-iceland-ireland-japan-and-ukraine

[x]Ibid

          [xi] NATO in Indo-Pacific: Tokyo office a no-go for now – DW – 06/15/2023. (n.d.). Dw.Com. Retrieved July 20, 2023, from https://www.dw.com/en/nato-in-indo-pacific-tokyo-office-a-no-go-for-now/a-6592237

[xii] NATO. (n.d.). Relations with partners in the Indo-Pacific region. NATO. Retrieved June 16, 2023, from https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_183254.htm

[xiii] NATO. (n.d.). Relations with partners in the Indo-Pacific region. NATO. Retrieved July 5, 2023, from https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_183254.htm

         [xiv] Japan, NATO issue new cooperation document with Russia, China in mind | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News. (n.d.). NHK WORLD. Retrieved July 12, 2023, from https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230712_29/

[xv] Why NATO’s Planned Liaison Office in Japan Is a Bad Idea. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2023, from https://thediplomat.com/2023/05/why-natos-planned-liaison-office-in-japan-is-a-bad-idea/

[xvi] NATO PA. (2023, May 2). NATO PA. https://www.nato-pa.int/document/2022-nato-and-indo-pacific-region-report-krimi-021-pcnp

[xvii] Press, A. (2023, March 31). Russia seeking weapons from North Korea to bolster Ukraine war, says US. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/31/russia-seeking-weapons-from-north-korea-to-bolster-ukraine-war-says-us

[xviii] Ibid

[xix] Free and Open Indo-Pacific. (n.d.). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Retrieved June 16, 2023, from https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/page25e_000278.html

[xx] France says ‘big mistake’ to open NATO office in Japan. (2023, June 8). IRNA English; IRNA English. https://en.irna.ir/news/85134574/France-says-big-mistake-to-open-NATO-office-in-Japan

[xxi] McCurry, J. (2023, June 7). France opposed to opening of Nato liaison office in Japan, official says. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/07/france-opposed-to-opening-of-nato-liaison-office-in-japan-official-says

       [xxii] Why is NATO edging into Asia? - Nikkei Asia. (2023, July 18). https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/The-Big-Story/Why-is-NATO-edging-into-Asia

[xxiii] Gray, Andrew & Irish, John. (2023, July 12). “NATO leaders send mixed messages in Japan office controversy”. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/issue-nato-japan-office-still-table-stoltenberg-2023-07-12/