Japan to send SDF officers to NATO Ukraine command for first time

New Delhi ( Vivek Ojha) : Japan will for the first time dispatch Self-Defense Forces officers to the Germany-based NATO command for its Ukrainian mission, the Defense Ministry announced Friday, in the latest example of stepped-up ties with the military alliance.

The ministry said it will send four officers to the NATO Security Assistance and Training Organization for Ukraine (NSATU) — a command headquartered in the German town of Wiesbaden and launched in July 2024 to coordinate planning and arrange the delivery of security assistance to the war-torn country.

The officers will work with others to coordinate the provision of equipment and training for the Ukrainian military following Russia’s invasion of its neighbor in February 2022, while also serving as liaisons to partner nations.

Tokyo first expressed an interest in joining the contingent of up to 700 personnel in April 2025 under then-Defense Minister Gen Nakatani during a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

Japan — already one of the largest contributors to NATO’s trust fund for Ukraine, supporting efforts such as medical rehabilitation and demining in the country — is also weighing participation in several other alliance-led initiatives.