Fumio Kishida to become 1st Japanese prime minister to attend NATO summit

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday announced that he will attend a NATO summit to be held later this month.

He will become the first Japanese premier to attend the summit scheduled for June 29 in Spain’s capital Madrid.

Speaking at a news conference in the capital Tokyo, Kishida said he will be attending a G7 meeting on June 26 before flying to Spain, according to Kyodo News Agency.

Leaders of Australia and South Korea are also expected to attend the NATO summit in which, Kishida said, Japan “intends to underscore that any unilateral attempt to change status quo by force is impermissible anywhere in the world.”

The expected participation of leaders from the Asia Pacific region in the western security alliance’s meeting came amid Washington’s moves to shore up bilateral and multilateral relations in the region to counter China’s expanding economic and military influence.

The US also led a loose defense cooperation group that includes Japan, Australia, and India.

It has also formed a wider Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, or IPEF, which has been signed by at least 13 nations, including the US.