On 31 January 2025, in Tokyo, European Values Center for Security Policy and RCAST, University of Tokyo, launched the NATO-Japan Expert Hub, a new platform designed to enhance allied engagement with Japan in the fields of defense and security.
The two-day event featured three sessions hosted by the University of Tokyo. The first session was closed-door and focused on sharing threat assessments, second session engaged students and researchers, and the third segment was a public discussion. NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy Marie-Doha Besancenot provided a key-note speech with EVC, RCAST and NATO Contact Point Embassies (Norway, and Romania) talking about NATO-Japan cooperation.
The event served as an opportunity to highlight and promote the close relationship between NATO and Japan as one of the IP4 countries (alongside Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea). NATO seeks to deepen cooperation with these partners in strategic areas such as cyber defense, emerging technologies & AI, and hybrid/information threats.
In today’s rapidly evolving security environment, fostering communication and exchanges between NATO and Japan is more crucial than ever. As like-minded partners committed to upholding the rules-based international order, deeper collaboration strengthens mutual understanding, strategic alignment, and collective security efforts.
The NATO-Japan Expert Hub will serve as a platform to bring together experts and officials from Japan, NATO, and NATO member states to address shared challenges and work toward common goals, reinforcing both transatlantic and Indo-Pacific security while enhancing global resilience against emerging threats.
