Natoaktual.cz - Analyses & comments 1 Is an Asian NATO on the horizon? Shingo Masunaga February 9, 2015 The recent execution of two Japanese citizens by the extremist group of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) intensiied the internal debate about foreign and security policy in Japan. Although joining the coalition forces ighting against ISIS is the most unlikely option for the Abe administration, the murders led Japan to focus on the Middle East also militarily, not only from the perspective of mercantile realism. On 1st of February 2015, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed his utmost anger over the Muslim extremists who beheaded two Japanese citizens and pledged Japan never give in to acts of terrorism. One important fact indicated in his statement was to expand ‘humanitarian assistance’ to the Middle Eastern areas that face the threat of ISIS, which is likely to be Egypt and Jordan as mentioned in the Abe’s visits to both countries just before the hostage situations occurred. Regardless of humanitarian perspective, number of Japanese oil tankers and freighters pass through the Red Sea and political instabilities of both countries would immediately cause a jump in hull insurances for those ships. And, there is another ‘mercantile’ thought on the Abe’s statement. He brought representatives of around 30 Japanese irms, mostly ‘giants’ of construction industry such as Shimizu Corporation and Taisei Corporation, to the visit to Egypt and one of the major topics with Egyptian president El-Sisi was Egypt-Japan economic cooperation e.g. ongoing development project of new Suez Canal. Japanese foreign policy in the post-war period is sometimes regarded as the ‘Mercantile Realism’ and the Abe statement proved Japan still intends to follow that path. From the perspective of the mercantile Not just security Japanese foreign policy in the post- war period is sometimes regarded as the ‘Mercantile Realism’ and the Abe statement proved Japan still intends to follow that path. From the perspective of the mercantile realism, the hostage situations worked as a proponent of bolstering economic ties with Egypt and Jordan. Japan is the longest-standing of NATO’s “partners across the globe”. The cooperation was improved also by Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. In the future, Japan should have “its own NATO”. source: NATO photos