Defense Minister Calls for Free, Open Indo-Pacific at Meeting in Italy; Concerns Raised About North Korea, Russia

By Yumiko Kurashige, Naohiro Tamura / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

15:32 JST, October 20, 2024

NAPLES, Italy — Defense Minister Gen Nakatani called for a free and open Indo-Pacific at a meeting of the Group of Seven defense ministers in Naples, Italy, on Saturday.

Nakatani highlighted China’s repeated acts of hegemony in the East and South China Seas and opposed any attempt to change the status quo by force or coercion. He also reportedly expressed concerns about North Korea, which has been strengthening its ties with Russia as the latter continues its aggression against Ukraine.

Nakatani led the meeting as part of an effort to raise awareness about the situation in the Indo-Pacific, which was a top concern at a meeting of defense ministers from North Atlantic Treaty Organization member countries in Belgium on Thursday.