A pledge by Japan this week to provide a security guarantee for Ukraine alongside other allies is a reminder that Tokyo may be Europe’s most dependable defence partner in Asia.
Advertisement
It also strengthens the argument for Nato to proceed with a long-discussed plan: opening a liaison office of the transatlantic security alliance in Tokyo.
On Tuesday, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba declared that Japan would “thoroughly discuss what our nation can and should do” in support of Ukraine, and “play an appropriate role” in its post-war security order to deter another invasion by Russia.
The comments came on the heels of US President Donald Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders in Washington on Monday.
Trump said the United States could play a security role for Ukraine after the war, while Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte said 30 countries, including Japan, would offer security guarantees.
While Ukraine might seem – from an Asian vantage point – like a distant European conflict, Japan’s response has been anything but disengaged. Since the start of Russia’s invasion in 2022, Japan has emerged as one of Ukraine’s most active and consistent supporters.