Japan's Prime Minister To Confirm Revision Of Cooperation Document With Nato
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is expected to confirm a major revision to a document that specifically outlines Japan's cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization at a two-day summit in Madrid, starting on Wednesday.
Kishida will be the first Japanese prime minister to attend the NATO talks.
Kishida plans to convey his intention to drastically strengthen Japan's defense capabilities amid an increasingly severe security environment. He also plans to boost cooperation with countries that share values such as freedom and the rule of law.
Kishida is expected to express support for NATO's new strategic concept which is likely to refer to China for the first time as a presence that brings about challenges to NATO's security, interests and values.
Japan and NATO are expected to agree on advancing cooperation in fields such as cybersecurity and maritime security to step up their response against China's activities.
In Madrid, Kishida plans to meet separately with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. He also plans to hold trilateral talks with US President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Wednesday to exchange views on the security situation in the Indo-Pacific region.