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Macron blocks scheme to open NATO office in Japan: Politico

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Politico
9 Jul 2023 23:39
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Over the years, Japan has gradually increased its cooperation with the alliance, opening its first NATO branch office in Brussels in 2018.

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks following a government emergency meeting after riots erupted for the third night in a row across the country, at the Interior Ministry in Paris, Friday, June 30, 2023. (AP)

Politico reported on Sunday that French President Emmanuel Macron has refused plans to establish a NATO liaison office in Japan, saying that the alliance should not expand beyond the North Atlantic.

“NATO means North Atlantic Treaty Organization,” an Elysee official told reporters on Friday, adding that Articles 5 and 6 are inherently "geographic" and they specifically refer to maintaining the "security of the North Atlantic area."

In May, Japanese Ambassador to the US Koji Tomita said Tokyo is making plans to open a NATO liaison office in Japan. If the scheme comes to pass, this would mark the alliance's first office in Asia. The plan was first discussed in 2007 when the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made a first visit to NATO's headquarters. The matter was brought back into debates just very recently.

"We are not in favor as a matter of principle,” the Elysee official added. "As far as the office is concerned, the Japanese authorities themselves have told us that they are not extremely attached to it."

According to a recent report by the Financial Times, Macron believes that the alliance's charter has geographic limitations set in place, barring NATO from expanding into Asia.

Over the years, Japan has gradually increased its cooperation with the alliance, opening its first NATO branch office in Brussels in 2018.

As the alliance has increased interest in the Indo-Pacific as of lately, several leaders are planning to attend the 2023 summit, which will take place in Vilnius, Lithuania on July 11 and 12.

Among the invitees are Prime Minister Fumio Kishida who was the first Japanese leader to attend a NATO summit last year.

China has expressed concern over the matter, arguing that the alliance should remain within its own sphere of influence and that the region "does not welcome bloc confrontation or military blocs." Russia has also expressed opposition to NATO's attempts to expand in Asia.