NATO and Japan

◎Masako Ikegami (GPI Policy Expert Member and Professor & Director, Center for Pacific Asia Studies (CPAS), Stockholm University)

"NATO and Japan: Strengthening Asian stability," NATO Review (Summer 2007).

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to Alliance headquarters in January 2007 - the first visit by a Japanese head of government - marked a high point in the NATO-Japan relationship, which has developed steadily since the early 1990s. The Alliance and Japan have started a strategic dialogue, with high-level officials meeting regularly. In addition, a series of NATO-Japan Security Conference have been held since 1990.

In my view, more NATO-Japan collaboration would be useful, given the importance of the Asia-Pacific region to global stability, and given both parties' complementary needs and interests. This was also the message brought back by 22 parliamentarians of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to their capitals after visiting Tokyo and Osaka, Japan in June 2007.
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