"Four Asia-Pacific Countries Including Korea and Japan Establish NATO Cooperation Framework... Agreement Coordinated at NATO Meeting"

NHK "Coordination of Asia-Pacific 4-Nation Summit"
US-Japan-South Korea Summit Seems Difficult to Hold

South Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand are reportedly coordinating to agree on establishing a cooperation framework with NATO at the upcoming NATO summit in Washington DC next week, Kyodo News reported on the 4th, citing Japanese government officials.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Kyodo analyzed, "The cooperation between NATO and the four countries aims to support NATO, which is facing Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and to increase NATO's engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, which is becoming unstable due to the military build-up by China and North Korea."

NATO has officially invited President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea, as well as leaders from Japan, Australia, and New Zealand?Asia-Pacific partners (AP4)?to the NATO summit scheduled for the 9th to 11th.

Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported that Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is coordinating a meeting of the four leaders during the NATO summit.

NHK stated that Prime Minister Kishida intends to share the importance of not recognizing changes to the status quo by force, keeping in mind China's strengthened maritime expansion, and maintaining and reinforcing a free and open international order based on the rule of law.

U.S. President Joe Biden is also expected to participate briefly in the four-country meeting.

The trilateral summit between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan, which had attracted attention regarding its possible holding during the NATO summit, now appears unlikely to take place.

Kyodo reported, "The South Korea-U.S.-Japan summit is expected to be postponed," adding, "Many leaders will gather at the NATO summit, and with the U.S. presidential election approaching, it seems difficult for President Biden to secure his schedule."

Earlier, on the 26th of last month, Prime Minister Kishida had mentioned that he would seek opportunities for dialogue among the leaders of South Korea, the U.S., and Japan during the NATO summit.

Meanwhile, Japanese media reported that Prime Minister Kishida announced at a government and ruling party liaison meeting the day before that he will visit the U.S. and Germany from the 10th to the 14th as part of his diplomatic schedule.

He plans to attend the NATO summit in the U.S. and then visit Germany to hold a summit meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz.