By bno - Taipei Bureau Japan has formally launched an independent diplomatic mission to NATO, reflecting its growing collaboration with the alliance as tensions rise with Russia, China, and North Korea.

The Mission of Japan to NATO said Wednesday it has become independent of the Japanese Embassy in Brussels. The move is intended to boost security cooperation between Japan and NATO and to promote strategic collaboration among the Indo-Pacific region, Europe and the Atlantic region.

Japan has formally inaugurated an independent mission to the NATO military alliance as Tokyo and NATO seek to bolster cooperation amid escalating tensions from Russia, China and North Korea, Euronews reports.

NATO has deepened its links with Japan and three other Indo-Pacific partners, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, though not as part of the military alliance. View on euronews

Japan launched its NATO mission in Brussels, according to a statement Thursday by the Japanese Foreign Ministry.