State Minister of Defense Harada Attends the Munich Security Conference

On February 15th to 16th, State Minister of Defense Harada attended the 55th Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany.

This year’s conference was attended by representing leaders such as cabinet members of governments and international organizations of the U.S. (Acting Secretary of Defense Shanahan), the UK (Secretary of State for Defence Williamson), Germany (Chancellor Merkel, Defence Minister von der Leyen), France (Minister for the Armed Forces Parly), Russia (Minister of Foreign Affairs Lavrov), and NATO (Secretary General Stoltenberg). Touching upon growing complications in maintaining an environment of security, various discussions on NATO and Europe including EU were held.

Also, State Minister Harada joined a breakfast meeting held by former U.S. Secretary of Defense Cohen to discuss on challenges that NATO faces. He also took part in a side event held by the Japan Institute of International Affairs entitled “Indo-Pacific and Europe.”

State Minister Harada held bilateral discussions with defense ministers of Lithuania, Greece and Sweden and the Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Defence of Germany to discuss on the future direction of defense exchanges with each country and cooperation through NATO. He also held short talks with participants from the U.S. and NATO as well as defense ministers of Canada and the Netherlands.