Japan, NATO pledge increased defense cooperation to counter Russia, China
April 9 (UPI) -- Japan and NATO decided Wednesday to jointly increase defense cooperation to counter threats from Russia and China.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba made a joint appearance to underscore the deepening partnership.
"Strengthening defense industrial cooperation is a shared priority. We will accelerate cooperation in this area, including with a view to developing dual-use technologies, advanced technologies, and enhancing standardization," NATO and Japan said in a joint statement.
Those technologies are likely to include drones, artificial intelligence and quantum technology.
Japan also expressed interest in becoming part of a NATO command coordinating the procurement of military equipment and training for Ukraine.
"Prime Minister Ishiba stated that as the international security environment has become increasingly severe, it is our shared recognition that the security of Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific is inseparable, and the need for security cooperation among NATO and Indo-Pacific partners, including Japan, has increased even further," Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
"Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine shows that we cannot take our security for granted. China, North Korea and Russia are stepping up their military exercises and their cooperation, undermining global stability, and that means what happens in the Euro-Atlantic matters for the Indo-Pacific and vice versa. So our security, I believe, is inseparable," Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani Rutte said in prepared remarks,
Rutte added "a stronger Japan-NATO cooperation is necessary in an increasingly dangerous world."
According to Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs both sides agreed to strengthen defense industrial cooperation in "various fields" that include cyber, maritime security, strategic communications and interoperability.
They agreed to continue information sharing and cooperation.
Japan and NATO also agreed to work closer together on cryptocurrency thefts that they said funds North Korea's nuclear and missile activities.
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