North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

June 24, 2025
Japanese
Foreign Minister Iwaya shaking hands with Secretary General Rutte
Foreign Minister Iwaya and Secretary General Rutte holding a meeting

On June 24, commencing at 5:35 p.m. local time (on 25 June at 0:35 p.m. JST), for approximately 30 minutes, Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, 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 Hague, the Kingdom of the Netherlands on the occasion of the NATO Summit. The overview of the meeting is as follows.

1. Introduction

  1. Secretary General Rutte stated that his visit to Japan in April was successful, and expressed his gratitude for Foreign Minister Iwaya’s attendance at the NATO Summit. He also stated that cooperation between NATO and the Indo-Pacific partners (IP4) including Japan, has become even more important as the security environment is becoming severer. 　
  2. Foreign Minister Iwaya stated that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific is inseparable, and that the Japan-NATO cooperation is beneficial for the security of both regions. He also welcomed NATO’s enhanced engagement in the Indo-Pacific under the leadership of Secretary General Rutte.

2. Japan-NATO Relationship

  1. Foreign Minister Iwaya welcomed the progress in the Japan-NATO relations since Secretary General Rutte's visit to Japan in April this year, including the launch of the Defense Equipment and Industrial Dialogue between Japan and NATO. Secretary General Rutte once again expressed his gratitude for Japan’s support for Ukraine, including in the areas of military medical and demining through NATO's Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP) Trust Fund for Ukraine.
  2. Both sides concurred to work together to elevate the Japan-NATO cooperation to a new height in various fields, including the defense industry.

3. Regional Situations

Both sides exchanged views on regional situations such as Ukraine, Iran as well as North Korea including the abductions issue, and confirmed the need to continue to work together among like-minded countries in response to security challenges across the regions.

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