On November 1, 2024, Japan and the European Union (EU) signed a new Security and Defense Cooperation Agreement in Tokyo. The agreement, which was signed by Japan's Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, includes provisions for military exercises, information sharing on defense industries, and space security.
Borrell characterized the agreement as 'historic and very timely' for the current geopolitical climate. He noted that this marks the first time the EU has entered into such an agreement with a country in the Indo-Pacific region, emphasizing the need for cooperation to address emerging threats.
Japan has been increasing its defense spending in response to regional security challenges, particularly from China. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba previously mentioned the possibility of establishing a NATO-like military alliance in the Indo-Pacific. The agreement also allows for joint exercises with 'third countries' approved by both parties.
In a separate development, reports indicate that North Korea has sent between 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia, as confirmed by Ukrainian, South Korean, and American sources. Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the intention to utilize North Korean soldiers, prompting condemnation from Ukraine and its allies over potential escalation.
The North Korean troops are reportedly being trained in Russia's Far East and are expected to wear Russian uniforms. Some of them have already arrived in the Kursk region, near the Ukrainian border, where the Russian military is seeking to regain territory lost to Ukrainian forces.
Analysts question whether these North Korean soldiers can effectively compensate for Russia's significant military losses in Ukraine, which are estimated to exceed 600,000 casualties. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has called for an immediate cessation of these actions, deeming the deployment of North Korean troops as a dangerous expansion of the conflict.
The ongoing collaboration between Russia and North Korea, which has intensified since the start of the war in Ukraine, raises concerns about the implications for international law and regional security dynamics.