Japan and NATO vow to deepen security ties to counter threats from China and Russia
ADVERTISEMENT
NATO chief Mark Rutte and Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba have vowed to further deepen military ties while stressing the need to jointly tackle growing threats from China, North Korea and Russia.
Japan, which has stepped up defence ties with the US and allied countries in the Indo-Pacific, has also sought closer ties with NATO, fearing that Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine could embolden China's assertiveness in the region.
"A stronger NATO will benefit Japan greatly," Ishiba said at a press conference with Rutte, who was visiting Japan for the first time since becoming secretary general of the defence alliance in October.
In a joint statement released after their talks, Ishiba and Rutte said strengthening defence industrial cooperation is "a shared priority" and that they plan to focus on developing dual-use and advanced technologies while enhancing their standardisation.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks at a press conference in Tokyo, 9 April, 2025
AP Photo
They also agreed to step up cooperation in cyber defence and space, as well as joint military exercises. Drones and artificial intelligence were also discussed.
Ishiba and Rutte also said they "strongly condemn" growing military ties between North Korea and Russia, including Moscow's use of North Korean missiles and troops against Ukraine, while expressing concern about China's support for Russia's industrial base.
Russia continues to wage war against Ukraine while maintaining its ambitions to "reshape European security," Rutte said.
Both also called for upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific and opposed unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force in the East and South China Seas.
The pair also encouraged Beijing to improve the transparency of its military operations and to cooperate in arms control, calling on peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
The NATO chief told reporters that China has been pursuing a major military buildup, seeking to control key technologies, critical infrastructure and supply chains, and continues to carry out "destabilising activities" in the Indo-Pacific.
Ukrainian servicemen fire a multiple launch rocket system based on a pickup truck in the Zaporizhzhia region, 8 April, 2025
AP Photo
Rutte praised Japan's contributions to support Ukraine in the war against Russia, and welcomed Tokyo's willingness to participate in a NATO initiative for the support of Ukraine, as indicated by Japan's Defence Minister Gen Nakatani on Tuesday.
The NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) command is headquartered at a US military base in Wiesbaden in Germany.
Rutte said NSATU "helps Ukraine fight today but also for Ukraine to build up its armed forces for tomorrow."
Details of Japan's participation still need to be discussed, but if deployed, the Japanese Self Defence Force is not expected to take on combat roles because of the country's post-war pacifist principles, which are enshrined in domestic law.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euronews
an hour ago
- Euronews
Top defence CEO touts need for €100 billion euro EU defence fund
EU countries pooling tens of billions of their defence spending into a joint EU fund could help finance necessary flagship projects and close capability gaps faster, the incoming head of Europe's largest defence industry association told Euronews, recognising it would however require political leadership. Micael Johansson, the CEO of Swedish defence and security company Saab, said on Wednesday that steps taken by the European Commission to turbocharge defence spending in the EU go in the right direction but that more needs to be done to facilitate countries and companies developing and acquiring new systems together. The EU executive's 'Readiness 2030' plan for defence, unveiled in March, relies on two main financial pillars: the relaxation of fiscal rules for defence spending which the Commission estimated could see €650 billion poured into the sector over the coming four years; and a €150 billion loan instrument called SAFE. Johansson, who will from 15 June take the helm of the Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) which represents some 4,000 companies, said that these financing options remain primarily in the hands of each government and based on their own immediate needs. "Maybe it's wishful thinking, but if countries actually would be prepared to spend portions of their defence budget into a fund (...) that would create a common fund which could be worked upon in terms of launching flagship projects," he told Euronews on the sidelines of a European Defence and Security Summit in Brussels. He suggested that the European Defence Industrial Programme (EDIP), a regulation first tabled in early 2024 that is still making its way through the EU lawmaking process, could be the right place for this fund. The regulation currently plans for €1.5 billion from the EU budget to be spent on strengthening the European defence industrial base over the 2025-2027 period, but Johansson said that in order to finance big projects, "a hundred billion euros" might be more appropriate. He acknowledged however that this "is a big step". "I don't really know how to accomplish that. It's political decisions, of course". Defence is a hugely sensitive topic that falls under national competencies in the EU, with member states fiercely protective of their homegrown champions in the sector. But this has led to a deeply fragmented market, suboptimal interoperability between the different systems and an industry less agile to respond to crises. The EU and its member states, 23 of which are also NATO allies, are currently scrambling to plug holes in the bloc's defences and have identified seven priority capability areas including ammunition, drone and anti-drone systems, air defence, military mobility, and electronic warfare among others. European companies will be able to meet most of the continents' needs, Johansson said, but lag behind their US counterparts in some key areas such as integrated air missile systems, long-range strike capabilities, and autonomous systems like sophisticated, high-end drones. With Washington increasingly sending mixed messages over its long-term commitment to Europe's defence as it seeks to pivot some of its resources in the Indo-Pacific region, these "flagship" projects could benefit from a more European approach and joint financing, Johnasson said. This could be through member states or companies creating so-called coalitions of the willing to develop common systems. "But this is not easy because there is a trade-off between national sovereignty and creating interdependencies," he told Euronews. The Commission's defence proposal plans for more collaboration between member states with several of them required to pool their orders together in order to access financing through the SAFE instrument. The EU executive is meanwhile set to unveil a new proposal next week for the defence sector aimed at slashing red tape.
France 24
2 hours ago
- France 24
Rice prices Japan's hot political issue, on and off the farm
Shortages of the grain caused by a supply chain snarl-up have seen prices almost double in a year, fuelling frustration over inflation -- and voters could let their anger be known in upper house elections due next month. To help ease the pain for consumers and restaurants, the government started tapping emergency stockpiles in March, having only previously done so during disasters. Yamazaki, who grows about 10 percent of his rice organically using ducks to eat pests, said he understands high prices are "troubling" for ordinary people. But he stressed that thin profits are a concern for many of those who produce it. "There's a gap between shop prices and what farmers sell rice for to traders and the like," he told AFP in the northern Niigata region. "Not all the money paid at shops becomes our income," said Yamazaki, a 42-year-old father of seven. A mosaic of factors lies behind the shortages, including an intensely hot and dry summer two years ago that damaged harvests nationwide. Since then some traders have been hoarding rice in a bid to boost their profits down the line, experts say. The issue was made worse by panic-buying last year prompted by a government warning about a potential "megaquake" that did not strike. 'Old' rice Meanwhile, the rising price of imported food has boosted the popularity of domestic rice, while record numbers of tourists are also blamed for a spike in consumption. Farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi has pledged to cut prices quicker by selling stockpiled rice directly to retailers -- attracting long queues to some shops. It appears to be working: the average retail price has edged down for a second week to 4,223 yen ($29) for five kilograms (11 pounds), down from a high of 4,285 yen in May. That hasn't stopped opposition politicians -- with an eye on the elections -- and online critics branding the reserve rice "old", with some likening it to animal feed. But analysts also blame Japan's decades-old policy of cutting rice-farming land. The policy was introduced to support prices that were being hit by falling demand brought about by changes in the Japanese diet. Under the 1971 policy, farmers were told to reduce the amount of space used to grow the grain in favour of other crops. That saw the amount of land used for rice paddies -- not including for livestock feed -- plunge below 1.4 million hectares (3.5 million acres) in 2024, from a peak of 3.3 million hectares in 1960. While the policy was officially abolished in 2018, it has continued in a form of incentives pushing farmers towards other commodities like soybeans. Adding to the crisis is Japan's ageing population. Many rice farmers are old and their children have no interest in taking over. Eighty percent of rice farmers are part-time with less than two hectares of fields but they account for only 20 percent of production, said agronomy expert Kazunuki Oizumi, professor emeritus of Miyagi University. Their main revenue comes from other jobs or pensions, he added. Agriculture 'destroyed' Toru Wakui, chairman of a large-scale farm in the northern Akita region who has for decades fought against the acreage reduction, said Japan should "seek an increase in rice production and exports to foreign markets". "If you only think about the domestic market while increasing output, of course prices will fall," he told AFP. "We need to look for markets abroad." "The 55 years of acreage reduction destroyed Japan's agriculture," said Wakui, 76, who urged Koizumi in a letter last month to "declare an expansion in rice production". He also said Japan should consider a scheme to help young people start agriculture businesses without the burden of initial investment in fields and machinery, by involving other sectors including banks and trading companies. Public support for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government has tumbled to its lowest level since he took office in October, which local media say was partly caused by the surge in inflation and soaring rice costs. He has told parliament that increasing production is "an option" to temper prices, but said food security and the livelihood of producers was also important. For the farmer Yamazaki, "wanting cheap rice with high quality" is a pipe dream. "We farmers are a little baffled by the limelight that suddenly shifted to us," he said. © 2025 AFP
Euronews
3 hours ago
- Euronews
Merz, Frederiksen discuss Ukraine, security, migration, global trade
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen at the Federal Chancellery in Berlin on Thursday. Topping the agenda for the two leaders was Russia's invasion of Ukraine, immigration bilateral ties and global trade and politics. Commenting on recent Russian attacks on Ukraine, Merz stressed that anyone with a reasonably clear view must recognise that 'Russia is a threat to the security' of the entire NATO alliance. As the NATO leaders' summit in the Hague nears, the German chancellor emphasised that 'Russia is a risk to security on both sides of the Atlantic.' Merz noted that the allies are set to discuss a 'historic' increase in defence spending at the summit in light of the threat the Kremlin poses to Europe. 'We will strengthen the European pillar of NATO together,' said Merz. Frederiksen echoed a similar sentiment, as she highlighted the need to bolster the continent's defences as quickly as possible. 'We have to rebuild our European Defence Industry and of course the German Industry is key for us,' said the Danish leader. 'Rearm Europe, do it fast,' added Frederiksen. The two leaders also discussed immigration, where they expressed similar views regarding the need to impose stricter policies. 'We cannot accept everyone who wants to come to Europe, it has to be a democratic decision who can enter our democratic societies', said Frederikse. Chancellor Merz praised the migration policy of Denmark, saying 'What Denmark has achieved in recent years is truly exemplary and together we are also moving towards new and stricter asylum rules in the European Union.' Regarding the repatriation of migrants, Merz said noted that, if necessary, 'there will also be corresponding changes to the legal basis'. Merz and Frederiksen also spoke about the highly volatile and unstable global trade environment, exacerbated by US President Donald Trump's global tariffs, which have spiralled stock markets internationally. The German leader welcomed the announcement of a new US-China trade deal, after the two nations agreed on a framework of a new deal to ease tensions and resolve trade disputes. 'I therefore welcome the fact that there has been such an agreement between America and China, and I very much hope that we will succeed in reaching similar agreements with America, for example regarding tariffs, in the near future,' said Merz. The pair also discussed the ongoing threat to Greenland, after Trump renewed his interest in 'taking ownership' of the arctic island; an overseas territory of Denmark. "The principle of the inviolability of borders is enshrined in international law and is not up for discussion,' said Merz. 'We stand closely by our Danish friends on these issues and will continue to do so.' Frederiksen once again shot down Trump's remarks, insisting that Greenland is not for sale and its sovereignty is non-negotiable. "Sovereignty of states, the territorial integrity, and by the way the future of Greenland can only be decided in Greenland by the Greenlandic people." She added that she thought Trump was "serious" when it comes to Greenland "and I have to say that so are we." VivaTech opened its doors this Wednesday in Paris, marking the start of Europe's most important tech and startup annual event. With more than 165,000 expected visitors and nearly 14,000 startups from over 50 countries, the ninth edition of the event is set to be the biggest yet. Just like last year, artificial intelligence (AI) is the star of the show. But this time, some of the most attention-grabbing innovations are those applying AI and tech to health care and mental well-being. 'Artificial intelligence is moving from science fiction to real-life application. And visitors will discover with the more than 13,000 start-ups what it is going to mean for business, for our everyday lives and our democracies," said François Bitouzet, Director General of VivaTech. There is a geopolitical context that is incredible in which tech and AI play a role, and we will analyse this during the next four days," he told Euronews. In a year marked by increasing geopolitical tensions and debates around technological sovereignty, Europe is looking to assert itself as a key player in AI innovation. But the tech fair also serves as a platform to explore how this technology can help address deeply human challenges. One such example is Emobot, a French startup developing an AI-powered tool that helps monitor mood disorders through a patient's facial expressions and voice. 'It's an app that is installed on the phone and on the computer. We analyse facial expressions every second while the patient uses their phone throughout the day," explained Antony Perzo, co-founder and CTO of Emobot. "We also analyse their voice. Then, we aggregate this data to monitor for symptoms of depression. All this data, we put it together and then make a dashboard for the doctor that allows them to follow the evolution of the mood disorder symptoms," he told Euronews. All this information is combined to generate a dashboard for doctors, allowing them to track the evolution of symptoms remotely. 'Psychiatry is one of the few disciplines where we can't visualise disorders. In other areas of medicine, we have MRIs or imaging tools. We wanted to create the first device capable of tracking and visualising mood symptoms over time. Think of it as a sort of thermometer for mental health', he said. Another mental health startup, AMOI, blends neuroscience with perfume to shift a person's mood in just minutes. Whether you're looking for focus, calm, energy or joy, AMOI claims its neuro-fragrances can deliver results within five minutes. With more than one in four people reporting feeling mentally unwell, AMOI's founder Pascale Fontaine, says her project is about offering accessible and enjoyable tools for emotional well-being. VivaTech runs until 14 June at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre in Paris.
