In a speech at Keio University in Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed that NATO and Japan ”may be oceans apart, but our security is closely connected”, according to a press release issued by NATO.

“Among NATO’s partners, none is closer or more capable than Japan,” said Mr. Stoltenberg. “We share the same values, interests and concerns,” including supporting Ukraine and addressing the security challenges posed by authoritarian regimes. The Secretary General welcomed that the long-lasting friendship between NATO and Japan is growing stronger by the day.