The hague: NATO and its four Indo-Pacific partners have announced plans to enhance defense industry cooperation in response to a growingly dangerous and unpredictable global security environment. The announcement was made in a joint statement by NATO, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, during a meeting of NATO leaders in The Hague, Netherlands.

According to Philippines News Agency, the joint statement emphasized the interconnectedness of security between the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions. This marks the fourth year that leaders from the four partner countries have been invited to participate in the NATO summit. However, due to ongoing tensions in the Middle East, the leaders of Japan, South Korea, and Australia were unable to attend the event.

Japan was represented by Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, who participated in the summit on behalf of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. The discussions in The Hague highlight the strategic importance of collaboration between NATO and its Indo-Pacific partners in addressing global security challenges.