Nikkei Asia, citing European and Japanese sources, reported that the ITPP covers 16 areas of cooperation with three strategic goals: enhancing dialogue, enhancing interoperability, and enhancing resilience. One of the areas of cooperation is for NATO forces and the Japan Self-Defense Forces to improve their capabilities for capacity building and interoperability.
The US destroyer USS Milius conducts a ballistic missile defense exercise with the Japanese destroyer JS Atago in waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan on March 18.
The cooperation document, expected to be announced at the NATO Summit in Lithuania from July 11-12, emphasizes that Japan and NATO will "effectively cooperate in developing capabilities and interoperability, as well as standardization." This cooperation is aimed at creating a common understanding of each other's equipment and expanding the scope of joint exercises, according to Nikkei Asia .
If Japan were able to adopt more NATO standards for its defense equipment, it could lead to maintenance and repairs at each other's shipyards and hangars. However, NATO itself faces challenges related to interoperability among its members, such as technological disparities between its forces, differences in doctrine, and gaps in resources.
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NATO has also signed an ITPP with Australia and is developing such a partnership with South Korea and New Zealand. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins will attend the upcoming NATO Summit. This is the second consecutive year that leaders of Indo-Pacific partners will be present at the NATO Summit.
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