For centuries, Europe and the Indo-Pacific have been connected through rich cultural and commercial exchanges. Now, in our new age of geopolitical uncertainty and conflict in areas like Ukraine and the Middle East, the nations of the Indo-Pacific and Europe have recognized the growing need to engage with a wider array of regions and partners, thus finding new impetus to renew these historical ties and enhance cooperation.

Under the increasingly severe and complex security environment, Japan has become more proactive to explore new opportunities for cooperation with its European partners including the EU and UK. The momentum of cooperation emerging between Japan and Europe spans a wide range of areas including security and defense, and economic security among others. This trend comes as Europeans are increasingly turning their attention eastward based on the recognition that the security of Europe and Indo-Pacific is inseparable.

But even as new opportunities for both regions appear, major questions remain. How can Japan and Europe strengthen defense cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, while key Indo-Pacific players are cooperating more closely than ever amongst themselves to promote peace and security of the region? Moreover, how can European countries, located oceans away and facing their own domestic security challenges and the need to expand defense spending for NATO members, effectively contribute to defense in the Indo-Pacific? Can cross-border frameworks help to bolster countries’ economic security through strengthening supply chain resilience and advancing capacity building? And finally, how might traditional multilateralism, long shared by Europe and the Indo-Pacific, evolve so it can be effective in addressing current and future challenges?