G7 Defense Ministers’ Meeting: It Is Time to Deepen Defense Cooperation

Editorial

14:59 JST, October 21, 2024

While Western countries are showing signs of “support fatigue” due to the prolonged war in Ukraine, the significance of the defense ministers of free nations reaffirming their unity is great.

It is important for Japan to contribute to the resolution of conflicts while strengthening security cooperation with Western countries.

Defense Minister Gen Nakatani attended the first meeting of the Group of Seven defense ministers hosted by Italy, which holds the G7 presidency this year, where ministers agreed to continue providing support to Ukraine, which is currently fighting against Russian aggression.

The war situation in Ukraine is at a stalemate, and some opinions have reportedly emerged among Western countries advocating a ceasefire even while sections of territory would remain occupied by Russia.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Germany this month to seek support for his “victory plan,” but only the continuation of talks was confirmed at his meetings there.

In light of such a circumstance, it is commendable that the defense chiefs of the G7 countries have aligned their understanding of the situation and reaffirmed their policy of working together.

Western countries that have continued to provide Ukraine with tanks, fighter jets and other equipment are said to be facing a serious shortage of weapons and ammunition within their own countries.

At the end of last year, Japan revised the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology and its implementation guidelines, and the export of parts for equipment is now broadly allowed. On the other hand, the export of finished products is still limited to those for use in five types of activities — rescue, transportation, vigilance, surveillance and minesweeping.

The government should start exporting parts to the full extent allowed. It is essential for Japan to continue such measures that support efforts by Western countries for Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Nakatani met with Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov in Belgium prior to his visit to Italy and announced that Japan would provide Ukraine with Self-Defense Force trucks and other vehicles.

It is necessary for Japan to understand Ukraine’s needs and continue to provide the kind of support that only Japan can offer.

Nakatani also attended a meeting of defense ministers of North Atlantic Treaty Organization members in Belgium. For the first time, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand were invited to the meeting as “Indo-Pacific partners.”

At this meeting, there reportedly was a chorus of voices expressing caution over China’s increasingly hegemonic activities in the East and South China Seas.

In recent years, many NATO countries have been expanding trade with Southeast Asia in an attempt to capture the growth of the region. Ensuring the safety of maritime traffic routes in Asia has become a serious challenge for NATO as well.

The current situation in which Europe is also showing an interest in Asian security can be said to be a good opportunity for Japan to deepen cooperative relations with European nations.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 21, 2024)