Details

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) describes Japan as the “longest-standing partner across the globe”. After initial contacts were established in the 1990s, cooperation was gradually intensified and finally cemented in 2013, when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and then NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen signed a Joint Political Declaration, underscoring their shared understanding of an international order based on peace, stability and dialogue. In May 2014, Japan issued an Individual Partnership and Cooperation Programme, further strengthening its ties with NATO. These developments have pried open the field of cooperation, releasing a whole new variety of prospective conjoint endeavours between Japan and NATO based on shared democratic values.

Looking forward, it is thus of high importance to tie in with this groundwork by identifying key issues on the operational level. For instance, in September 2014, Japan’s Maritime Self Defence Forces have, for the very first time, gained tangible experiences of cooperation with NATO units by participating in joint counter-piracy exercises conducted in the Gulf of Aden. With the expected increase in Japan’s future involvement in maintaining international security, the evaluation of first-hand experiences from such engagements are of utmost importance.

This conference aims to explore the potential areas, benefits and possible challenges of cooperation between Japan and NATO as outlined above, by seeking the input of distinguished experts from fields of the defence sector and international relations. In order to ensure a fruitful outcome with high-ranking representatives from the various fields, the event is kindly supported by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, NATO, the Japan Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the National Security Secretariat (Japan), NATO Defense College, the National Institute for Defense Studies (Japan), among panellists from various other Embassies in Tokyo.

Date:4th March, 2015

Time:09:30 a.m. to 16:45 p.m.

Venue:The Capitol Hotel Tokyu 1F, Ballroom „Ho-oh“, 2-10-3 Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0014 Japan, TEL: 03-3503-010

Language:Japanese – English (simultaneous interpretation)

Application:

Please apply with your full name, affiliation and contact information by February 27th to the KAS Japan Office via E-Mail (KAS-Tokyo@kas.de) or Fax (03-6426-5047). Registrations will be handled on a first come, first served basis.

General Inquiries:

Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), Japan Office

Tel：03-6426-5041

Fax：03-6426-5047

E-mail: KAS-Tokyo@kas.de

PROGRAMME

09:00 a.m.

Registration of participants

09:30 a.m.

Welcome Remarks

•Paul LINNARZ, Resident Representative for Japan, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), Tokyo office

09:40 a.m.

Opening Remarks

•Hans Carl VON WERTHERN, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Ger-many to Japan

10:00 a.m.

Keynote Speech

•Hideshi TOKUCHI, Vice-Minister of Defense of Japan for International Affairs

10:30 a.m.

Presentation

•Dr. Brooke A. SMITH-WINDSOR, Deputy Director of Research Division, NATO Defense College, Rome/Italy

“The geostrategic importance of the Asia-Pacific region from the perspective of NATO”

11:00 a.m.

Coffee Break

11:30 a.m.

Podium Discussion

The discussion will analyze the state of relations between Japan and NATO and explain the importance of the bilateral relationship, both from a NATO and from a Japanese perspective. In addition, the discussion will provide an outlook for the future development of the bilateral relations.

Panellists:

•Prof. Tomonori YOSHIZAKI, Director Security Studies Department, National Institute for Defense Studies, Tokyo/Japan

•Keiichi HARA, Director for European Policy Division, European Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

•Michael F. GAUL, Senior Advisor, Emerging Security Challenges Division, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Brussels/Belgium

•Dr. Patrick KELLER, Coordinator Foreign & Security Policy, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), Berlin/Germany

Moderator:

•Stefan MÖBS, Minister Counsellor, Head of the Political Section,

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany to Japan

(podium discussion followed by Q & A with conference participants)

12:30 p.m.

Lunch Break

13:30 p.m.

Presentation

• CAPT Scott TAIT, Chief, Northeast Asia Division, Joint Staff (J-5 Asia), United States Navy

“Military aspects of the importance of NATO for international operations around the globe. An U.S. perspective”

14:00 p.m.

Presentation

•CAPT Willem VERMEULE, Defense Attaché, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Japan

“The role of small and medium partner/member nations in and for NATO – contributions and benefits”

14:30 p.m.

Presentation

•MG Jun NAGASHIMA, Cabinet Councillor, Deputy Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary, National Security Secretariat

“Military aspects of the cooperation between NATO and Japan. A Japanese perspective”

15:00 p.m.

Coffee Break

15:30 p.m.

Podium Discussion

The panel discussion will analyze military aspects of the cooperation be-tween Japan and NATO and will provide an outlook for possible areas of future cooperation.

Panellists:

•CAPT Scott TAIT, Chief, Northeast Asia Division, Joint Staff (J-5 Asia), United States Navy

•Dr. Michito TSURUOKA, Senior Research Fellow, National Institute for Defense Studies, Tokyo/Japan

•CAPT Willem VERMEULE, Defense Attaché, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Japan

•Dr. Michael MCKINLEY, Visiting Fellow, Australian National University

Moderator:

•Carsten BUSCH, Defense Attaché, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany to Japan

(podium discussion followed by Q & A with conference participants)

16:30 p.m.

Wrap up and Closing Remarks

•Paul LINNARZ, Resident Representative for Japan, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), Tokyo Office

16:45 p.m.

End of Conference

Followed by Reception (Ballroom „Kiri“)