NATO Deputy Secretary General in Tokyo, reaffirms the strategic importance of the NATO-Japan partnership

On 5 and 6 March 2026, NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska visited Tokyo, Japan, meeting government officials, parliamentarians and industry representatives. During her visit, Ms Shekerinska met Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Sato Kei, Minister of Defence Koizumi Shinjiro, Vice-Minister of Defense for International Affairs Kano Koji, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kunimitsu Ayano, and State Minister of Economic, Trade and Industry Ino Toshiro.

The Deputy Secretary General praised Japan for increasing defence spending to 2% of its GDP and for its efforts to adapt to a more dangerous security environment. She highlighted that Russia's war against Ukraine demonstrates how the security of the Indo-Pacific and the Euro-Atlantic are closely interconnected, noting that China is supporting Russia's defence industrial base directly and indirectly, sending Moscow tools and materials to fuel its war.

Ms Shekerinska thanked Japan for its support to Ukraine, especially through NATO's Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP), and underlined that in a more volatile security environment, it is essential that NATO cooperates with capable and like-minded partners. She emphasised key priority areas for NATO's partnership with Japan, including defence industrial cooperation, space and innovation.

Speaking at an event, "The road to the NATO summit in Ankara," co-hosted by Norway and Romania as NATO Contact Point Embassies, and the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA), Ms Shekerinska previewed the priorities for the upcoming Summit in Ankara, where NATO will take stock of the progress on increasing Allied defence investment, boosting defence production, and continuing support to Ukraine. While European Allies and Canada have made progress in defence spending, the Deputy Secretary General emphasised the importance of spending and producing more across the Alliance to ensure NATO's forces have the necessary capabilities to keep its citizens safe.

During her visit, the Deputy Secretary General also met members of the Japanese parliament, the National Diet. She visited the site of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 system (PAC-3), Atsugi Air Base, and the Japanese radar-imaging company Synspective.