TOKYO, July 7. /TASS/. Japan attaches great importance to strengthening cooperation with NATO, its members, and partners, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters.
"In order to respond appropriately to global challenges, cooperation among like-minded countries is more important than ever before. Japan attaches great importance to strengthening cooperation with NATO, its members, and partners," he said, commenting on the alliance’s summit opening in Turkey. Kihara reiterated the idea that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions is inextricably linked, emphasizing that by participating in the summit, Japan intends to reaffirm its commitment to further developing cooperation with the alliance.
Japan will be represented at the summit by Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was originally invited to the summit in Turkey but will be unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict with a parliamentary session.
The NATO summit is taking place in Ankara on July 7-8.