Japan and NATO agree on new partnership programme at NATO Vilnius summit

By Sakura Murakami and Kentaro Sugiyama

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday he welcomed that Japan and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) had agreed on a new partnership programme, ahead of his attendance at the NATO Vilnius summit.

At a joint announcement with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, Kishida said he looked forward to furthering cooperation in new areas including cyber-security, and hoped to deepen cooperation with NATO as it increases its engagement with the Indo-Pacific.

The new partnership programme comes as NATO explores a deeper engagement with Asia while China increases its military presence.

Stoltenberg said at the announcement that NATO is concerned with China's heavy military buildup and its expansion of nuclear forces, and also condemned the launching of missiles by North Korea.

"No other partner is closer to NATO than Japan," he said, adding that Asia matters to Europe just as much as Europe matters to Asia.

China has lashed out at a communique issued by NATO during its two-day summit in Lithuania's capital Vilnius claiming that China challenged the military alliance's interests, security, and values.

China has said it opposes NATO's "eastward movement into the Asia-Pacific region" and warned any action threatening Beijing's rights would be met with a resolute response.

(Reporting by Sakura Murakami and Kentaro Sugiyama; Editing by Michael Perry)