In this fortnightly online column, ADM journalist Corey Lee Bell covers defence news across Japan and the Republic of Korea.
Japan deepens defence ties with Norway and the United Kingdom as Tokyo increases its defence diplomacy
Japan and Norway have agreed to strengthen defence equipment and technology cooperation, after a meeting between high-ranking Defence ministry officials at the United State’s Yokosuka naval base, near Tokyo, on Saturday August 23.
The 40-minute meeting, which was held onboard the JS Kaga light aircraft carrier, was led by Japan’s Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and Norway’s State Secretary to Minister of Defence, Andreas Flåm.
The meeting coincided with a port call in Yokosuka by Norway’s HNoMS Roald Amundsen Fridtjof Nansen-class frigate, which visited Japan as part of a carrier strike group led by the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales.
Among the topics discussed were Japan’s acquisition of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace’s Joint Strike Missile (JSM), which can be carried internally in Japan’s F-35A Lightning multi-role fighters.
In late 2024, Konsberg secured a fourth follow-on contract for the missiles from Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) valued at NOK $1.9 billion (AU $290 million). In recent years, Japan has actively sought industry cooperation to develop a domestic standoff missile capability.
Other topics discussed during the meeting included deepening cooperation through NATO, and potential forms of Japanese assistance to Ukraine.
The meeting occurred on the same day that Nakatani joined Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in a high-profile inspection of the HMS Prince of Wales at Yokosuka. In the wake of the inspection Ishiba told reporters that Japan-United Kingdom defence cooperation is reaching “unprecedented levels.”
Earlier in the month a British F-35B landed on the JS Kaga for the first time, in what the UK carrier strike group’s official X (Twitter) account described as “international relations in action.”
The carrier strike group visit comes amidst a sharp uptick in Japan’s Defence diplomacy, including one of the most intensive series of high-level Defence Ministry engagements in the nation’s post war history.
2025 has been a whirlwind year for Japan’s Defense Minister, who has met leaders and/or delegations from countries including Australia, the UK, the United States, India, Lithuania, Luxemberg, Poland, the Philippines, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
Last week, Nakatani visited three nations in Africa and the Middle East.
On August 18, Nakatani met Djibouti’s President, Acting Minister of Defence, Foreign Minister and National Assembly Speaker in a visit that included a tour of Japan Self-Defence Force Base Djibouti, through which Japan conducts anti-piracy operations.
Nakatoni then met Turkey’s Defence Minister Yaşar Güler and the head of Turkey’s Defence Industry Agency in a two-day trip which included a discussion on the prospect of procuring Turkish made drones, and an inspection of Turkey Aerospace Industries drone manufacturing facilities.
On August 21, Nakatani visited Jordon, where he held a discussion with Jordanian Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Jafar Hassan on issues including future defence exchange and cooperation.
On August 23, Japan and South Korea agreed to deepen security ties during a summit meeting between the two nation’s leaders in Tokyo, following a video conference between Nakatani and the ROK’s Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-Back on August 7.
Nakatani is expected to meet Ahn in South Korea on September 8 in what will be the first visit to the nation by a serving Japanese Defense Minister in a decade.
Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong are scheduled to visit Japan on September 5 for a “two-plus-two” meeting with their Japanese counterparts on issues including joint development arrangements for Australia’s next generation Sea 3000 General-Purpose Frigate (GPF) program.
This follows Canberra’s recently announced decision to procure Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ (MHI) new-model Mogami-class multi-role frigate.