Japan Moves Closer to NATO With Plan to Back Ukraine Through Non-Lethal Aid

Japan is preparing to deepen its cooperation with NATO by joining an alliance-backed framework aimed at supporting Ukraine, according to information reported by Japan’s public broadcaster NHK. Multiple NATO officials cited by the outlet say Tokyo is expected to formally announce its participation in the initiative in the near future, signaling a further expansion of Japan’s security engagement beyond the Asia-Pacific region and into Europe.

The move comes as international partners continue efforts to sustain Ukraine’s defence more than three years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. The conflict has its roots in longstanding tensions following Ukraine’s independence in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Relations deteriorated significantly after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its support for separatist forces in eastern Ukraine, developments that ultimately led to the 2022 invasion, which Moscow described as a “special military operation” but which Ukraine and its allies condemned as a breach of international law.

According to NATO sources quoted by NHK, Japan plans to take part in the NATO-US mechanism known as PURL, a joint programme launched in 2025 to accelerate the purchase and delivery of US-manufactured weapons and equipment to Ukraine. The framework was designed to improve coordination among donors, reduce delays in assistance, and distribute financial responsibilities among allies and partner countries.

Under this system, participating states fund purchases based on a priority list of Ukraine’s needs, with coordination handled through a dedicated NATO fund. The mechanism allows for rapid transfers of equipment, including air defence interceptors for Patriot systems, directly from US stockpiles. Through PURL, Ukraine has already received missiles and other key equipment that have strengthened its ability to defend cities and critical infrastructure against Russian missile and drone strikes. Western officials say the initiative has significantly improved efficiency and predictability in military support.

Japan’s involvement, however, is expected to remain strictly limited to non-lethal assistance, in line with its pacifist constitution and long-standing defence policy constraints. NATO officials told NHK that Tokyo would provide financial support only for defensive equipment such as radar systems, bulletproof vests and other protective gear, rather than weapons or ammunition. NHK sources added that Japan has already informed several NATO member states and Ukraine of its intentions.

One NATO official told the broadcaster that even non-lethal equipment plays a crucial role for Ukraine, describing Japan’s planned participation as an important development within the broader international support effort. If confirmed, the move would place Japan alongside NATO members such as Germany and the Netherlands, as well as close partners including Australia and New Zealand, which have already pledged contributions to the framework.

Japan has already been providing significant assistance to Ukraine outside this mechanism. At the end of 2025, Tokyo transferred 8.8 billion yen, approximately 56.6 million US dollars, to Ukraine under Phase 4 of its Programme for Emergency Recovery and approved the launch of a subsequent phase of grant aid. In January, the Japan International Cooperation Agency allocated an additional 4 billion yen, more than 25 million dollars, for mine clearance operations and medical support for Ukrainians.

The discussion around air defence remains particularly sensitive for Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly urged partner countries to supply interceptors from existing stockpiles, warning that shortages directly endanger civilians. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has said work is ongoing to address these gaps, noting that European countries are expected to mobilize more than 15 billion dollars to purchase weapons for Ukraine’s armed forces. He has also called on EU states holding large stocks of interceptors to transfer them to Ukraine.

If Japan formally joins the NATO initiative, it would underline Tokyo’s growing readiness to contribute to global security efforts and to support Ukraine alongside the alliance, while still adhering to its domestic legal limits on the use of force.