Overview

• NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed to strengthen defense industrial cooperation, focusing on dual-use technologies, drones, artificial intelligence, and cyber defense.
• Rutte emphasized the need for NATO and Japan to counter China’s rapid military buildup, which he described as ‘staggering,’ and its support for Russia’s war in Ukraine through dual-use exports.
• Japan expressed interest in joining NATO’s Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) command, signaling a potential shift toward greater involvement in collective defense operations.
• Both leaders condemned the growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, including North Korean missile contributions and troop deployments in support of Russia’s war efforts.
• NATO and Japan reaffirmed the inseparability of Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security, with plans to enhance joint military exercises, maritime security, and strategic communications.