Foreign Affairs Committee in Japan: Security in Europe and East Asia is inexorably linked
On its visit to Japan, the main message of the delegation of the Foreign Affairs Committee has been the importance of cooperation, as the threats to security in Europe and East Asia are inextricably tied and must be dealt with together.
The Chairman of the Committee Marko Mihkelson has seen an important shift in the perception of security in Japan, which has led to a larger contribution to the defence budget and simplification of defence rules. “We both understand that threats in Europe and East Asia are existential and interlinked. This is why we also need to work on these together,” he said.
The meetings served as a reminder of the excellent relations between Estonia and Japan. “Estonia is well known in Japan for its topics of e-governance and cyber defence. We invited our colleagues for a visit to continue developing these excellent relations and seek solutions to common challenges. The events taking place in Europe today might well take place in East Asia tomorrow,” he warned.
He emphasised that in the current unpredictable world, where the rules-based world order finds itself on unsteady ground, countries who carry the same democratic values must work together. “From the Japanese perspective, the Nordic-Baltic region is stable, successful, and similar in its world view, meaning that all the preconditions for a successful cooperation are present,” Mihkelson said.
Leitmotifs of the meetings were Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, war in Iran and its impact on oil prices, and cooperation with the biggest strategic partner of both countries—the United States of America. Outside of NATO, Japan has been the strongest supporter of Ukraine.
In Tokyo, the delegation of the Foreign Affairs Committee met with the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives Konosuke Kokuba and members of the Committee, members of the Japan-Estonia friendship group, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Councillors Ryuji Satomi, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayano Kunimitsu. The delegation also had meetings at the Prime Minister’s Office.
Members of the Committee, along with experts, took part in round table discussions at the University of Tokyo Security Studies Unit, National Institute for Defense Studies, and Sasakawa Peace Foundation. The delegation met with ambassadors of the European Union, Ukraine, and other European countries.
Before reaching Japan, the delegation visited the Philippines from March 29. In addition to the Chairman, the delegation of the Foreign Affairs Committee also includes members of the Committee Ester Karuse, Eerik-Niiles Kross, and Henn Põlluaas.
Riigikogu Press Service
Karin Kangro
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