4 nations including Japan skip NATO summit

The leaders of Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand will not attend the NATO summit being held in The Hague, Netherlands, amid heightened global tensions and the ongoing Middle East crisis, reports Reuters.

The two-day summit, which began on Tuesday (June 24), had expected participation from the four Indo-Pacific partners (IP4), but their coordinated absence is drawing attention in diplomatic circles.

Japan, a regular participant in NATO summits since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, confirmed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s withdrawal, citing unspecified "various circumstances," according to a statement from the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

The leaders of South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand have also cancelled their trips.

The absence is being viewed by analysts as a calculated move and has raised questions about NATO’s partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region. Experts say the decision could influence NATO’s future strategic planning in Asia.

Japanese broadcaster Fuji Television reported that the potential cancellation of the NATO-IP4 meeting and uncertainty surrounding a possible bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump was a contributing factor to Japan's decision.