TOKYO, October 2. /TASS/. The idea of creating an "Asian NATO" and collective security architecture in the region, which new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba outlined during his campaign for the post of the head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), is one of the options for the future that should be considered in the medium and long term, Takeshi Iwaya, who took over as foreign minister in Ishiba's government, said.
"The environment around Japan is now the harshest since wartime," he said. "I think the most important thing [now] is to build a multi-layered network of relations with like-minded countries and allies," he said, noting that this way Tokyo plans to improve deterrence capabilities. "As for the Asian version of NATO, I think this is one of the ideas for the future and it will take time [to consider it], it needs to be studied in the medium and long term," he added.
Iwaya recognized that Japan's constitution currently restricts the exercise of collective self-defense for protecting other nations, noting that the Indo-Pacific region presents distinct challenges compared to Europe, as each country has unique political, economic, and security systems that must be considered.
"Hence, I think right now it would be difficult to create a mechanism in Asia that involves a commitment to mutual defense," Iwaya stated, adding that the concept of collective security "is not aimed at a particular country" and that an ideal security architecture in the region "does not exclude any nation."
On September 27, Shigeru Ishiba was elected as the new head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) by a majority vote. On October 1, he officially became prime minister. During the election campaign, Ishiba advocated for strengthening Japan's defense capabilities, the creation of an "Asian NATO" and a system of collective security in the region.