Japan in talks to open NATO office due to war in Ukraine – foreign minister

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said this in an interview with CNN, according to Ukrinform.

"We are already in discussions, but no details (have been) finalized yet. [...] The reason why we are discussing about this is that since the aggression by Russia to Ukraine, the world (has) become more unstable," he said.

Hayashi described Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year as an event with repercussions far beyond Europe's borders that forced Japan to rethink regional security.

"Something happening in East Europe is not only confined to the issue in East Europe, and that affects directly the situation here in the Pacific. That's why a cooperation between us in East Asia and NATO (is) becoming … increasingly important," the Japanese minister said.