WORLD
Japan inaugurates new, independent mission and ambassador to NATO

Baku, January 16, AZERTAC
Japan's government has inaugurated a new mission and ambassador to NATO, making the country's representation to the alliance independent from the Japanese embassy in Belgium, NHK World-Japan reported.
The government opened a representative office for NATO overseen by the embassy in 2018 in Belgium, home to NATO headquarters.
On Wednesday, Izawa Osamu officially assumed the position of the mission's ambassador after submitting a letter of credence to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
NATO has four Indo-Pacific partners -- Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The alliance invited them to three summit meetings held in the past.
Japan became the first country among them to inaugurate a full-time ambassador to NATO.
NATO told NHK that Izawa's inauguration is yet another tangible demonstration of the long-standing and valuable partnership developed by the military alliance and Japan.
It added that it looks forward to developing the partnership further.