A NATO liaison office in Tokyo is temporarily out of service. Although contacts between the military alliance and its Asian partners are becoming ever closer, the idea of a NATO office in the Japanese capital, France in particular, goes further.
“If there is a new Pearl Harbor, the United States or the Netherlands cannot invoke Article 5.”
France even deleted any reference to such a ‘link’ to Tokyo from the closing statement of the NATO summit in Lithuania, which was also attended by the heads of government of Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea. The NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg had suggested opening an office in Asia earlier this year during a visit to Tokyo, with the agreement of the Kishida government.
Hawaii and the Antilles
Several countries in the region, including Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, would welcome such an alliance liaison office. However, the French are right, says foreign commentator Bernard Hammelburg. The argument that the NATO area is defined rather sharply certainly makes sense. ‘Hawaii and the Antilles are not part of the NATO area. Therefore, if there is a new Pearl Harbor, the United States or the Netherlands cannot invoke Article 5”.
We learned our lesson in Afghanistan, Hammelburg says. By furnishing an office in Tokyo you suggest more than you can offer. “In NATO activities you have to define very well where you will operate and where you will not operate.” Nonetheless, China remains a potential threat. “That in itself is a fact, but it could be more than one thing coalition of the willing.’
With the Americans in the lead, who are already making great efforts to keep the passage in the South China Sea international and open, while the Chinese consider it their territory. ‘This is a very serious conflict, but the idea that NATO can play a role in it is not wise. So I think French President Emmanuel Macron is taking a smart stance on this issue.”
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
