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 opposed a proposal by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to open an office in Japan.

The French leader believes that the transatlantic military alliance should remain focused on the North Atlantic region.

France's objection complicates the situation, after months of discussions within NATO to establish the alliance's first outpost in the Indo- Pacific region, according to sources cited by the Financial Times .

The push to open a small office in Tokyo comes as the US and Japan call on Europe to become more involved in security issues in Asia, especially amid growing concerns about China.

However, this move coincides 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 that NATO's charter forces the alliance to limit its geographical scope to the "North Atlantic." A source familiar with NATO's internal 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 scope beyond the North Atlantic. “If we push NATO to expand its scope and geography, we will make a big mistake,” he warned.

The creation of a NATO office requires unanimous support from alliance members, meaning France has the power to block the move. NATO has not given details of the “ongoing discussions”.

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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