Why does France oppose NATO opening an office in Japan?

French President Emmanuel Macron

The Yomiuri Shimbun reported on June 6 that French President Emmanuel Macron opposes a proposal by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to open an office in Japan.

The French leader argued that the transatlantic military alliance should remain focused in the North Atlantic region.

According to the Financial Times , citing sources, France's opposition further complicates the situation, following months of internal NATO discussions aimed at establishing the alliance's first outpost in the Indo- Pacific region.

The push to open a small office in Tokyo comes as the U.S. and Japan call for greater European involvement in security issues in Asia, especially amid growing concerns about China.

However, this move coincided with China's criticism of the US for its efforts to establish a so-called anti-China alliance in the Indo- Pacific , which Beijing likens to an "Asian NATO".

A French official said Paris believes NATO's charter forces the alliance to limit its geographical reach to the "North Atlantic." A source familiar with the internal NATO debate said France does not want to support anything that "contributes to tensions between NATO and China."

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Speaking at a conference last week, President Macron said NATO should not expand its operations beyond the North Atlantic. "If we push NATO to expand its scope and geography, we will make a big mistake," he warned.

Establishing a NATO office requires unified support from alliance members, meaning France has the right to block the move. NATO has not provided details about the "ongoing debates."

The White House and the Japanese government have not commented, while a Japanese official said Tokyo wants to strengthen ties with NATO.

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