Japan’s Foreign Minister to Attend NATO Council

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:47 JST, March 26, 2023

Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi will attend NATO’s council of foreign ministers in Brussels on April 4-5, according to government sources.

With the Hiroshima G7 summit approaching in May, Japan aims to bolster cooperation with NATO on maters such as providing support to Ukraine and addressing China’s actions.

The Council’s agenda is expected to prioritize discussions on Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine, as well as China’s increasing hegemonic activities in the Indo-Pacific region, with an eye on a potential crisis involving Taiwan.

During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Tuesday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that Japan would contribute $30 million worth of equipment through a NATO trust fund.

Japan is keen on deepening its collaborative relationship with NATO to demonstrate its commitment to supporting Ukraine on the global stage as the current chair of the G7.