Japan Withdraws from NATO Summit

(MENAFN) Japanese media reported that Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has scrapped his upcoming trip to the NATO leaders’ summit following U.S. military action targeting Iran's nuclear facilities.

Ishiba becomes the second leader from the Asia-Pacific group invited to the summit—comprising Japan, Australia, South Korea, and New Zealand—to step back from attending the event.

The high-level NATO gathering is set to begin Tuesday in The Hague, Netherlands, and will span two days.

Prior to Ishiba’s decision, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung also opted not to go, delegating the responsibility to National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has likewise indicated he will be absent.

Japan’s Foreign Ministry attributed Ishiba’s withdrawal to “various circumstances.”

In his stead, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya will be attending on behalf of Tokyo.

Meanwhile, the Japanese government pushed back against a media report that claimed a planned “two-plus-two” security meeting between the U.S. and Japan had been canceled.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi dismissed the report, clarifying that the schedule for the meeting is still under discussion and has not been officially set.

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