NATO leaders send mixed messages in Japan office controversy

China said in May that a NATO office in Japan would not be welcomed in the Asia-Pacific region.

All the more reason for it to happen. While Japan should never be allowed in as a member, nor any other of the Indo-Pacific countries either, a liaison office is probably a smart idea.

A in NATO is for Atlantic, Japan is in Pasific.

NATO officials have said the proposed Japan office would be small, with a staff of only a few people focused on building partnerships, and would not be a military base.

Just an office in a Japanese pencil mansion building. 30 square meters for three people. What a waste.

A in NATO is for Atlantic, Japan is in Pasific.

They may need to change the name if Pacific nations begin to join.

Thats it. Keep stirring the pot. Then act all surprised again when the neighbors lash out. Not the same as NATO membership but its the furst step down a worrying path. Japan and China should work together for a more prosperous Asia.

Japan in NATO?

Not a good idea

If Japan were attacked then NATO members would be obliged to come to its defense.

Kishida should be more concerned with strengthening Japan’s relationship with Asian countries instead of jetting off half way around the world in the hopes of gaining entry to a political and military group.

French President Emmanuel Macron said NATO should keep its focus firmly on the North Atlantic region.

Methinks Macron is kissing Xi's nether region

NATO countries use international shipping lanes that China is seeking to control.

@sakurasuki

A in NATO is for Atlantic, Japan is in Pasific.

Yes, but situations change.

e.g., NATO was also created "to provide collective security against the Soviet Union". Since USSR no longer exists, should NATO no longer exist as well?

Maybe they should create an Indo-Pacific Treaty Organization or IPTO as a new entity. Charter members could include India, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Singapore, USA to name a few.

Mixed or UnMixed. Both are messages.

Methinks Macron is kissing Xi's nether region

Thanks for the morning chuckle. _

obladiToday  08:01 am JST

Since USSR no longer exists, should NATO no longer exist as well?

An easy answer: it should exist since Russia is more aggressive than the SU ever was.

Maybe they should create an Indo-Pacific Treaty Organization or IPTO as a new entity. Charter members could include India, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Singapore, USA to name a few.

India = Nope

South Korea = Nope

Singapore = Nope

Philippines = ?

Nice neo-con fantasy though.

deanzaZZRToday  08:36 am JST

Maybe they should create an Indo-Pacific Treaty Organization or IPTO as a new entity. Charter members could include India, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Singapore, USA to name a few.

India = Nope

South Korea = Nope

Singapore = Nope

Philippines = ?

Nice neo-con fantasy though.

South Korea would join if the current mutual defense treaty were removed.

Japan = Yes

Australia = Yes

New Zealand = Yes

Canada = Yes

Philippines = Yes

Thailand = Yes

Vietnam = Maybe

Indonesia = Maybe

The only real problem is that many of these countries would just be receiving protection and not contributing.

Lol, what an embarrassment for Japan. Undoubtedly Kishida pushed for this.

India, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Singapore, USA to name a few.

Singapore would never join this.

Maybe NATO doesn't need an office here, but Japan should set one up in NATO HQ, and be invited as a third country. We have seen how flakey Japan has been towards Ukraine, so this benefits Japan way more than say any other member.NATO is a defence organisation and sending a few jeeps, and trucks, while nice might not be on my shopping list if I was attacked by say China or Russia. I would need to see a bit more of an effort. If it was a school report it would read, and pays attention, very nice, but could do much better if Japan applied itself more.

No one is even vaguely suggesting that Japan join NATO, but an office, not a military base, just an office to facilitate and coordinate on matters of mutual interest is an eminently sensible idea. Whether the Macaroon has got the wrong end of the stick or he has some Franco-centric reason in mind is unclear, or it could be just to make him seem relevant and internationally important.

Over and above the general European interest in maintaining important commercial sea lanes, France has their own territorial interests in the region which can only be strengthened by NATO having an office in the region so it looks like he is shooting French interests in the foot?

we dont need any NATO "office" here,Japan dont need to join any NATO at all.

Japan have best army in the world here,we pay dearly for their stay and "services",Japan have US nuclear umbrella.in addition of that Japan have JSDF we pay from our taxes dearly as well.

No one country is going to attack Japan and Japan is not goin any country as well.

A in NATO is for Atlantic, Japan is in Pasific.

That is correct. But  Japan is a fellow democracy and both Japan and Nato have a vested interest in protecting the rules based order.

Japan already has a treaty with the U.S. More than sufficient. Anything wise is to just trying to open Japan’s wallet for more. Don’t be suckered into this Kishida.

Since USSR no longer exists, should NATO no longer exist as well?

Yes, they shouldnt exist

NATO was not part of the Soviet Union. The current threat from Russia is stronger than the Soviet Union.

Even an office opening on Tokyo has stopped, then how can Mr.Kidhida crying for help on emergency? It was an absurd idea here !

The current threat from Russia is stronger than the Soviet Union.

I guess you would have had to have been in the military back during the Cold War to know this but the current state of the Russian military is a shadow of what the USSR had in terms of both numbers and readiness. The Russian military is a fraction of that of the old USSR and where they once had a powerful economy that too is a thing of the past even before this war. The USSR had a global navy that rivaled the US Navy for hull count and tonnage. Those days are long gone. The JMSDF dwarfs the Russian navy in numbers and is vastly higher in quality. The Russians have nothing even remotely comparable to the Maya or Mogami classes.

Nato is becoming like one of those astrocytoma cancers.

Japan is a significant strategic partner for NATO due to its geopolitical importance in the Asia-Pacific region. Opening an office in Japan would facilitate closer cooperation, information sharing, and coordination on security and defense matters between NATO and Japan. By having a presence in Japan, NATO can actively engage with regional stakeholders, exchange expertise, and contribute to enhancing regional stability and security, and by establishing an office in Japan, NATO officials can work closely with Japanese authorities to share best practices, conduct joint exercises, and develop strategies to address common security challenges, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. It would serve as a platform to deepen understanding and cooperation between NATO and Japan at a political level.

NATO officials have said the proposed Japan office would be small, with a staff of only a few people focused on building partnerships, and would not be a military base.

cough cough, before only one staff, now a few. Few hundred? Few thousand?

Kishida does know that as japan is on the other side of the world, and not a NATO member, Russia, NK and China can attack with supersonic weapons as we are not included under Article 5 of NATO defense. All three have nukes.

Asian countries like NZ? Bruh!

French President Emmanuel Macron said NATO should keep its focus firmly on the North Atlantic region.

Quel connard celui la!

"More than 3,000 French troops were engaged in Afghanistan as part of NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Nearly 300 soldiers were involved in training and supporting the Afghan National Army."

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2023/04/12/shamshad-the-french-clandestine-operation-deployed-in-afghanistan-from-2009-to-2020_6022670_4.html#:~:text=More%20than%203%2C000%20French%20troops,supporting%20the%20Afghan%20National%20Army.

Japan in NATO?

Not a good idea

If Japan were attacked then NATO members would be obliged to come to its defense.

Sounds perfectly reasonable and moral to me. Like minded, free, democratic nations helping one another.

Japan is not going to join NATO. No-one anywhere has suggested this will feasibly happen.

But it is telling to read the fear and over-reaction from the usual suspects on the side of the freedom-hating fascists.

Most of the NATO countries were weak and unable to project a contingent of troops further than middle east. The Afghanistan war has hampered these countries and they lost troops in almost 20 years war.

A NATO office can be held anywhere in Asia outside China, maybe in Singapore not just Tokyo but how much they can help?

If Mr.Kidhida can rush to a NATO office, he will take maybe several weeks to get the answer of his concerns. You know that required full agreed and endorsement from the 30 members to make a public statement.

Rename it to NAPTO.

elephant200Today 03:00 pm JST

Most of the NATO countries were weak and unable to project a contingent of troops further than middle east. The Afghanistan war has hampered these countries and they lost troops in almost 20 years war.

Sounds like garbage statement to me. Troops carriers are not in short supply and navies and air forces have almost no losses from Afghanistan. Sorry, it will be a full strength US facing China if it does anything stupid.

Germany, France and UK were the strongest navy in European countries. At most they can station a frigate in Asia seas. The over blown British aircraft carrier has suffering some mechanical problems due to the poorly made power plant, maybe the refit took three years. Do in Asia waters the Chinese navy really not need to consider those Europeans as adversaries, just focus on US and Japanese Navy in the seas!

"Whatever one says, geography is stubborn: the Indo-Pacific isn't the North Atlantic,"

To be fair neither is the Med or the Baltic.

On the flip side, NATO membership could end up like the Eurovision Song Contest - Australia and Israel (and for a while Russia) aren't exactly in Europe lol.

What's in a name? a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet?

DNTO

Democratic Nations Treaty Organization

or GDNTO

Global DNTO

NATO was a bad name in the 1st place...OZ and NZ have always been involved...

What part of Turkey borders the Atlantic?

What is wrong with democracies joining defensive alliances which attempt to safe-guard the democractic way of life for the peoples of that country? Ostensibly to prevent despots from invading - you can't win the argument from the other-side - with what's played out in the Ukraine would like likely play out similarly in Taiwan (if that miscalculation were to occur)

France is a shame when China is the real enemy.