“Same Values”: NATO Deepens Cooperation With Japan

North Atlantic Treaty Organization
July 2, 2013

NATO and Japan explore opportunities to cooperate on emerging security challenges

A delegation from NATO’s Emerging Security Challenges Division met senior government representatives and experts in Tokyo, Japan, from 25 to 29 June to discuss possible practical cooperation on global security challenges, such as cyber defence, counter-terrorism and non-proliferation.

Opportunities for collaborating on responses to such challenges through science and innovation were a particular focus of the visit.

Working together to tackle emerging security challenges was one of the priorities for NATO-Japan cooperation identified in the Joint Political Declaration, which was signed by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on 15 April. The main purpose of the NATO delegation’s visit was to follow up on these commitments.

The focal point of the visit was a Symposium & Information Day, jointly hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and NATO’s Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme.

In his welcome address, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Minoru Kiuchi emphasised that ”this event marks a new era of cooperation between NATO and Japan, who both share the same values.”

Deputy Director General for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Takeshi Hikihara added that ”NATO has abundant experience and knowledge to offer partners in terms of global security.”

“We are all more closely connected than ever before – whether we want it or not. Our economies, our people, and our security are all interlinked. Today, because of globalisation, many nations and many international organisations face similar security challenges. To these common problems, we need common approaches and responses and above all a relationship based on trust,” said Michael Gaul, Senior Advisor for Strategy and Projects in NATO’s Emerging Security Challenges Division.

Tackling challenges through science

As an integral part of NATO’s Emerging Security Challenges Division, the SPS Programme seeks to strengthen NATO’s partnerships based on science and innovation in direct response to these challenges.

“The SPS Programme has served and will continue to serve a valuable function as a cooperative security tool, as outlined in NATO’s Strategic Concept, to enhance cooperation with Japan in the area of defence science and technology as stated in the Joint Political Declaration,” underscored Matt Wall, Political Officer of the United States Mission to NATO.

The SPS Information Day brought together around 80 government officials, experts and scientists from Japan and introduced them to the work and activities of the Programme.

Prior to the event, Japan had expressed a particular interest in future cooperation on cyber defence and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) defence. Therefore, after an introductory session on the SPS Programme, two full sessions, led by experts from both NATO and Japan, were dedicated to potential cooperation on these two security issues within the framework of the SPS Programme.

During the follow-up talks between the NATO delegation and Japanese government officials, the leading interest for future cooperation was focused on the global security issue of cyber defence, which requires common approaches and responses.