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It is a great pleasure to welcome His Excellency Mr. Taro ASO, Foreign Minister of Japan to the NAC this afternoon. And a particular pleasure to welcome him on such a beautiful spring day when the flowers are blooming and the cherry blossom is out. Minister, when I visited Japan last year many of my interlocutors were disappointed we had arrived one week too early for the ‘Sakura Zensen’ to have reached Tokyo. I hope you will note that, with military efficiency, we have managed to organise the cherry blossom for your visit to NATO.
We might think of Japan and NATO as geographically remote from each other. However we have far too much in common to allow our geographical separation to prevent us working together closely. We share many of the same values and so, unsurprisingly, Japan has long been associated with NATO's agenda. Historically, Japan can even be characterised as the most senior contact country, with regular exchanges and joint conferences held since the early nineties. Following my visit last year to Tokyo we have enjoyed hosting your CHOD here in Brussels and have also agreed a range of further cooperation measures including the participation of Japanese Officers on a number of NATO courses.
I believe that today, the Allies and Japan not only share many interests, but also face common security challenges. Global threats ignore geography and we are involved in one way or another in many of the same theatres of operations. Japan has been the lead nation in support of the demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration of former combatants in Afghanistan and continues to support coalition forces in the Indian Ocean . Your country is also present in Iraq where NATO has established the NATO-supported Training, Doctrine, and Education Centre in Ar Rustamiyah where some 800 Iraqi officers will be trained annually. If we fail in Afghanistan or Iraq , Japan , as well as NATO, will feel the consequences.
Minister, your presence here today is thus a logical continuation of our exchanges and it is my sincere pleasure to invite you to present your remarks.