Fallout from the tariff crisis: Japan assumes security leadership from the U.S. in the Indo-Pacific and Europe

On April 9, 2025, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte paid his first visit to Tokyo for security talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. 

As a result, Japan and NATO agreed to expand military-industrial cooperation, increase the number of joint military exercises, and strengthen cooperation in cyberspace and space.

Japan has officially joined NSATU, NATO's flagship program to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The format of its participation in this program will be determined by mid-2025. The reason for this strengthening of cooperation was called the convergent threat from China, Russia, and the DPRK.