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Global Agendas 2022 - NATO and RIMPAC

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2025

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Abstract

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War – its preparation, rehearsal, prosecution, and remediation – is increasingly the preoccupation of 21st century states and peoples. Attention in 2022 focussed on the savage fighting in the Black Sea and Ukraine, but preparations, plans and rehearsals on a hitherto unprecedented scale for conflict were underway around the world, notably in the form of US-led and organized exercises in the Baltic, the East and South China Seas, the Mediterranean and the Pacific, with an expansive NATO and US-led regional engagement involving new roles for Japan, India, Australia and others in the Western Pacific.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2022

References

Notes

1 Initially at least the obstacle was the concern on the part of Turkey that the Baltic countries were insufficiently severe in dealing with Islamic militant groups. However, as the Leaders Conference got underway in Madrid on 28 June, Turkey withdrew its opposition.

2 NATO, “Brussels Summit Declaration – NATO,” 11 July 2018.

3 Joe Gould, “Major Baltic sea exercise kicks off as Swedish, Finnish NATO bids wait on Turkey,” Defense News, 4 June 2022.

4 Strictly speaking South Korea and New Zealand should both be discussed more fully in this context as NATO “Partners.” See NATO, “Relations with Asia-Pacific partners,” 17 June 2022.

5 NATO, ibid.

6 Naval Defense Global News, “NATO ships train with Japanese Navy in Mediterranean Sea,” 9 June 2022.

7 Kyodo news, “Japan Employs Self-Defense Fleet to Indo-Pacific with Eye on China,” 18 June 2022.

8 Gould, citing US 6th Fleet in Naples as source.

9 David Crowe, “Australia to Attend NATO Summit, Invited to Visit Ukraine,” Sydney Morning Herald, 16 June 2022. See also Kuno Shigeaki and Tanaka Toshiyuki, “Kita Taiseiyo (NATO) shuno kaigi ni shusseki yotei no Kishida Fumio shusho e no kokai shitsumonjo,” (Open Letter of Inquiry to Prime Minister Kishida Fumio), 13 June 2022.

10 Saito Takao, “Keizai anpo no jinmyaku to bunmyaku,” Part 2, “Ho seiritsu, misugosareta giron,” Sekai, July 2022, pp. 123-131, at p. 129.

11 For one discussion of this point, Kihara Satoru, “Nihon to kyu sekkin, NATO wa kokuren kensho rinen ni hansuru gunji domei,” Ari no hitokoto, 8 June 2022.

12 Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's term.

13 “Japan's peaceful foreign policy is under siege from right-wing militarism” Jacobin Magazine, May 3 2022.

14 With the suspension of negotiations over its missile and nuclear plans, North Korea had been steadily intensifying its missile development efforts. In 2022, already prior to the June tests mentioned here it had conducted 16 missile-tests.

15 In accord with the Singapore Agreement of June 2022. (Kyodo, “Japan, U.S., South Korea to Resume Drills to Counter North Korean Offensive,” 11 June 2022).

16 NATO, “Brussels Summit Declaration – NATO,” 11 July 2018.

17 Center for Arms Control and Non-proliferation, “US Nuclear Weapons in Europe,” n.d.

18 Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, “United States Nuclear Weapons in Europe,” n.d.

19 “Message to the Opening of the First meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons,” Vienna, 21 June 2022.

20 ICAN, “The Vienna Declaration Adopted 23 June 2022.”

21 For further thoughts on this aspect, Gavan McCormack, “Supplementary Amicus Brief – The Case against Japan,” International People's Tribunal on the Nuclear Powers and Human Extinction, University of Sydney, 7-8 July 2016.

22 Nohara Yoshiaki, “Japan Should Discuss NATO-like Weapons Sharing, Abs Says,” Bloomberg, 27 February 2022.

23 Graham E. Fuller, “Some Hard Thoughts about Post-Ukraine,” Information Clearing House, 5 July 2022. Fuller is “former Vice Chair of the National Intelligence Council at CIA with responsibility for intelligence estimates.”