Defense Minister Koizumi participated in the defense-related events of the NATO Ankara Summit on 7 and 8 July, 2026. Below is the outline of the visit.
1 Wreath-Laying Ceremony at Anıtkabir
On 7 July, Defense Minister Koizumi laid a wreath at Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Türkiye.
2 Defence Industry Forum
On 7 July, Defense Minister Koizumi participated in the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum, becoming the first Japanese Minister of Defense to take part in the event.
3 Meeting with NATO Secretary General Rutte and the Representatives of the IP4
On 7 July, Defense Minister Koizumi, together with Minister for Foreign Affairs Motegi, participated in a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and representatives of the IP4 (Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea).
Minister Koizumi stated that the need for cooperation between NATO and the IP4 has never been greater.
[LINK] Meeting between NATO Secretary General Rutte and Indo-Pacific Partners (Overview)
4 Defense Ministerial Level Working Dinner
On 7 July, Defense Minister Koizumi attended a working dinner with the Defense Ministers of NATO member countries and the IP4 (Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea).
Minister Koizumi emphasized to his counterparts that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and that of the Indo-Pacific regions is inseparable, and reiterated that it is critically important for like-minded countries to strengthen cooperation across regions.
5 Meetings with Counterparts
On 7 July, Defense Minister Koizumi held bilateral meetings with the Defence Ministers of Türkiye, the host nation of the NATO Summit in Ankara, as well as Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands. He also met with NATO Deputy Secretary General Shekerinska.
[LINK] The Japan- Türkiye Defense Ministerial Meeting
[LINK] Japan-Sweden Defense Ministerial Meeting
[LINK] Japan-Denmark Defense Ministerial Meeting
[LINK] Japan-Netherlands Defense Ministerial Meeting
[LINK] Meeting with NATO Deputy Secretary General Shekerinska
6 Meetings with Australia and New Zealand
On 8 July, Defense Minister Koizumi held a bilateral meeting with Australian Minister for Defence Industry and Minister for Pacific Islands Affairs Conroy. Minister Koizumi also held a trilateral meeting with Australian Minister Conroy and New Zealand Minister of Defence Penk.
[LINK] Meeting between Defense Minister Koizumi and Australian Minister for Defence Industry and Minister for Pacific Islands Affairs Conroy (Summary)
[LINK] Meeting between Defense Minister Koizumi, Australian Minister for Defence Industry and Minister for Pacific Islands Affairs Conroy, and New Zealand Minister of Defence Penk (Summary)
7 Visit to the Naval Museum
On 8 July, Defense Minister Koizumi visited the Naval Museum in Istanbul, where he viewed exhibits related to the frigate Ertuğrul, which is regarded as a symbol of the origins of the friendship between Japan and Türkiye.
Related
Extraordinary Press Conference by Defense Minister Koizumi on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 12:30 AM