Meeting between Defense Minister Koizumi and NATO Secretary General Rutte

(Press Release: Provisional Translation)

February 13, 2026
Ministry of Defense

In Japanese

On February 13, 2026, commencing at 2:00 p.m. (local time) for approximately 25 minutes, Minister Koizumi, who was visiting Germany to attend the Munich Security Conference, held a meeting with H.E. Mr. Mark RUTTE, Secretary General of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

  1. Minister Koizumi and Secretary General Rutte shared their pleasure at the realization of another meeting following their meeting in Davos last month and reconfirmed their shared recognition that security of Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific is inseparable, based on the outcome of the NATO Defence Ministers’ Meeting held on 12th Febuary.
  2. During the meeting, both concurred that the importance of cooperation between Japan and NATO as well as between NATO and IP4 (Indo-Pacific Four: Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea) is growing in the context of strengthening deterrence, and that such cooperation should be strengthened more than ever.
  3. In addition, at the meeting, they exchanged views on regional security environment and on various areas of Japan-NATO cooperation and confirmed that they would continue to further promote cooperative relationship in a close communicative manner.

Meeting between Defense Minister Koizumi and NATO Secretary General Rutte.pdf