Overview
- Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba proposed an 'Asian NATO' to bolster regional security and deter China, but it remains a future consideration.
- Japan's Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and Defense Minister Gen Nakatani stated that the proposal is not being actively pursued at present.
- India and the United States have expressed skepticism about the idea, with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar emphasizing India's non-aligned stance.
- The concept, as envisioned by Ishiba, would not target any specific country and aims to include a wide range of Indo-Pacific nations.
- The initiative is seen as a way for Japan to engage more in regional security without violating its constitutional limitations on military action.