NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is using a two-day trip to Japan to underline the importance of close working relationships with like-minded nations around the world at a time of growing security tensions with China, Russia and North Korea.

The US-dominated alliance is also struggling to orient itself in a new world where the US itself is growing less reliable as a partner.

Rutte made his first official trip to Japan this week since replacing Jens Stoltenberg as the NATO chief in October. The visit included Rutte visiting the Yokosuka naval base, south of Tokyo, where he inspected a Japanese frigate and its navy's minesweeping equipment.

Rutte also expressed concern about the actions of China, pointing out that Beijing is supporting the Russian war effort in Ukraine and rapidly expanding its own military capabilities.

"We cannot be naive,” he said.

The NATO secretary general added that it was increasingly important for NATO member states to cooperate with Japan and other countries beyond the alliance.

Trump's moves on the agenda

Rutte's talks with Japanese leaders are expected to include connecting forces in the Pacific and Atlantic theaters, according to Ryo Hinata-Yamaguchi, associate professor in Tokyo International University's Institute for International Strategy.

"My sense is that both NATO and Japan wanted this trip to go ahead after several years of outreach that has already deepened the relationship,” Hinata-Yamaguchi told DW.

"But this is proof that they are getting closer and the need for regular high-level talks are a part of that,” he told DW.

NATO representatives and Japanese officials are also likely to consider threats to the international status quo, such as the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, the aggressive expansionist policies of China in the Asia-Pacific region and the unpredictable North Korean regime.

The Donald Trump administration and its policies "will also be an issue to be discussed, with serious consideration given to the meaning and sustainability of alliances," the expert added.

UK to send its flagship with carrier strike group

There has been a significant uptick in NATO's missions to north-east Asia in the last decade, with land, sea and air forces from a number of nations conducting joint or multilateral training exercises in Japan in that time.

The British government announced on Wednesday they will deploy a strike group to the region, led by its navy's flagship, the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. Supported by 12 other nations and accompanied by warships from Norway, Canada and Spain, the fleet will conduct port visits and drills with partners including India, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia this summer.

As well as conducting exercises with Japanese units, the strike group will operate with South Korean units to prohibit the smuggling of items banned under UN resolutions to North Korea.

How far will Japan go to help Ukraine?

One of the most interesting developments from Rutte's visit to Tokyo has been Japan's request to take part in the NATO command for its Ukraine mission, said James Brown, a professor of international relations at the Tokyo campus of Temple University who specializes in Russian affairs.

"Some people have wondered whether after Washington's shift to different priorities to Russia and Ukraine whether Japan would follow suit, but that has not been the case," he said. "The striking thing is that Japan has said it is considering joining the NATO mission to support Ukraine, an important new commitment."

Tokyo's intentions were detailed in talks between Rutte and Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani on Tuesday. Japan has already provided Kyiv with defensive equipment — helmets, body armor, medical supplies, anti-landmine equipment — but it is also bound by its policy of not providing lethal weapons to warring states.

"Both Japan and NATO face many challenges and our security environment has become increasingly more severe," Nakatani told reporters, adding that Japan hopes to deepen security cooperation and learn lessons from Russia's ongoing war on its neighbor.

And while there is no suggestion that Japan will shift to providing weapons, Tokyo has signaled desire to take part in the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU), based in the German town of Wiesbaden. Details of the involvement have yet to be determined, but it is possible that Japanese military personnel will be dispatched to Germany. They will not, however, be committed to combat roles in Ukraine.

'Asian NATO' still a distant dream

"Cooperation has been going on for some time but we are now seeing it accelerating," said Tokyo-based professor Brown. "The plan has always been for Japan to do more for its own security alongside the countries in NATO and other like-minded nations, such as Australia."

"But now that the US is showing itself to be a less reliable ally than was once thought, this is becoming more important," he added.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba also confirmed he wanted to deepen his country's cooperation with NATO in the defense industry after meeting Rutte in Tokyo.

Before taking office last year, Ishiba also said that he was in favor of the creation of an Asian version of NATO. However, Brown says that is not feasible.

"It was never really on the agenda," he said. "He did make those comments about an Asian NATO and I'm sure that in an ideal world he would have liked to do it, but it's a dream."

Edited by: Darko Janjevic