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SK is vulnerable to Chinese propaganda with strong anti-Americanism and never reliable. NZ is not worth in the first place for its small force. Japan has motivations to bond it into the Asia bloc, but at the same time fears the militarization of China. Japan has decline its trust on China for strong anti-Japan protests, and if this mood could be maintained, Japan has no other options than to rely on US. Japan has strategic value to Ukraine and Poland as well for its position to be on the opposite side of Ukraine and Poland. Ukraine shares border with Russia on the west of Russia, and Japan is neighbor of Russia on the east of Russia. when both becomes member of NATO, Russia will be surrounded by two neighbors on the west and east, unable to concentrate its military on either side for fears to be attacked from the thin defense of the other side. Yuschenko has visited to Japan months ago, and Yuschenko might had in mind for the strategic value of Japan for its position on the opposite side of Russia.

I agree about SK.

"Japan has strategic value to Ukraine and Poland as well for its position to be on the opposite side of Ukraine and Poland. Ukraine shares border with Russia on the west of Russia, and Japan is neighbor of Russia on the east of Russia. when both becomes member of NATO, Russia will be surrounded by two neighbors on the west and east, unable to concentrate its military on either side for fears to be attacked from the thin defense of the other side."

The risk of conventional war with Russia is rather low. Without nukes they wouldn't be strong. NATO is a good geopolitical tool. In case of Ukraine that would take them out of Russian sphere of influence and in case of Japan that should keep them in "western" sphere of influence, however Ukraine is unstable and in case of Japan It's not impossible that in the future they would decide to change the team and after being a member of NATO and having access to all these informations that would be disaster. In my opinion If not all these bureaucratic procedures Australian could become a member even tomorrow, others mentioned in the article and Ukraine should get some "special partnership" status and should be watched for a few years If they deserve full membership.

"Yuschenko has visited to Japan months ago, and Yuschenko might had in mind for the strategic value of Japan for its position on the opposite side of Russia."

I think that he was rather looking for investments of Japanese companies.