Japan Foreign Chief Meets with NATO Permanent Representatives

Tokyo, April 17 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi met with visiting representatives of some 30 NATO member countries permanently stationed at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo on Thursday, Motegi and the NATO permanent representatives discussed issues such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the situations surrounding China and Iran, and confirmed that they will continue to work closely together in responding to these matters. “Amid a rapidly changing international situation, including developments in the Middle East and Ukraine, the security of the Euro-Atlantic and that of the Indo-Pacific are inseparable and that cooperation among allies and like-minded countries is growing in importance,” Motegi said at the meeting. He also expressed hope that the NATO representatives will further deepen their understanding of the severe security environment surrounding Japan and the Indo-Pacific. The representatives recognized that the importance of cooperation between Japan and NATO is increasing and expressed their intention to further develop the cooperative relationship. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]