North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
Meeting between Foreign Minister MOTEGI and NATO Secretary General Rutte
February 14, 2026
On February 14, commencing at 9:30 a.m. local time (5:30 p.m. on February 15, Japan time ) for approximately 25 minutes, Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a meeting with H.E. Mr. Mark Rutte, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), during his visit to the Federal Republic of Germany for attending the Munich Security Conference. The overview of the meeting is as follows:
- At the outset, Minister MOTEGI welcomed the continued high-level exchanges between Japan and NATO, stating that, based on the recognition that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific is inseparable, cooperation between Japan and NATO and between NATO and its Indo-Pacific partners (Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea) is strategically important. He added that Japan intends to elevate relations with NATO to new heights through concrete cooperation in various fields including defense equipment and industrial cooperation.
- In response, Secretary General Rutte fully shared the view and stated that he would like to further develop the Japan-NATO relationship in various fields, while highly valuating Japan's cooperation with NATO including its support for Ukraine through NATO.
- Furthermore, they exchanged views on regional situations, including Russia's aggression against Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific, and confirmed that Japan and NATO, as well as NATO and its Indo-Pacific partners will continue to work closely together.