What happened
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will visit Ankara from July 6 to 8 to attend a NATO summit for the first time since taking office last year. Japan joins South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand in developing cooperative ties with NATO.
Why it matters
Takaichi aims to confirm with NATO that security in the Indo-Pacific region and Europe are inseparable, and to secure greater NATO involvement in Asia as China's military pressure grows. Within NATO itself, a rift is deepening between the United States and European members over U.S. strikes on Iran and responses to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting the possibility of his country withdrawing from the organization.
What to watch
The summit occurs amid internal NATO tensions. Trump's hints about potential U.S. withdrawal from the alliance underscore the stakes of Japan's effort to anchor NATO's commitment to the Indo-Pacific region.
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