Japan, NATO Agree to Deepen Ties

Tokyo, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte have agreed to strengthen relations between the two sides.

The two leaders had 15-minute talks on Tuesday, their first conversation since Rutte took office last October.

Ishiba emphasized that the security of Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions "has become increasingly inseparable."

Ishiba and Rutte also agreed to work together to enhance the relationship between NATO and the Indo-Pacific partner countries of Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea.

The two leaders also confirmed close cooperation on issues that need to be addressed with like-minded countries, such as Russia's military aggression against Ukraine.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]