Imbalanced Partnerships: China, Russia and North Korea

On 25 February 2026, the CSDS Japan Chair had the pleasure of hosting a senior delegation from Japan’s National Institute of Defence Studies (NIDS), headed by President Imakyurei Manabu. Prof Masuda Masayuki, Head of the China Division and lead author of the NIDS’s flagship “China Security Report”, presented the findings of the latest 2026 edition, focusing on Beijing’s evolving partnerships with Russia and North Korea and the implications of increased trilateral cooperation for regional and global security.

The meeting was part of the “Japan Chair Cluster” series, which brings together Brussels-based experts and policy practitioners from the EU institutions, NATO, as well as relevant Embassy representatives interested in Japan and the broader Indo-Pacific region. The Cluster meets on an ad hoc basis when experts, academics and officials from the region visit Brussels, presenting their research and sharing their insights in a closed-door, informal fashion. The meetings aim to inform the European policy community, raise awareness and steer the debate for regional security challenges, as well as to facilitate inter-personal exchanges to support Europe’s engagement with Japan and the Indo-Pacific.