The Netherlands and Japan have signed a new agreement that will allow their armed forces to exchange goods and services more quickly. The deal is known as an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) and covers logistical support between the two countries’ militaries.
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The agreement was formally signed on Wednesday by Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans and Japan’s ambassador to the Netherlands, Rokuichiro Michii. It is designed to make practical cooperation easier, for example by simplifying the supply of equipment, fuel or services during joint activities.
Close cooperation
The two countries already work closely together on defence matters. During a visit to Japan in April 2025, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof agreed with Japanese leaders to strengthen cooperation on security issues. Talks on the ACSA officially began during the NATO summit in The Hague, and the agreement was signed in a year marking 425 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Netherlands.
North Koreans in Ukraine
Security developments in Europe are increasingly linked to events in the Indo-Pacific region, according to the Dutch government. North Korean soldiers are fighting alongside Russia in Ukraine, and North Korea is supplying weapons to Moscow. Japan plays a leading role in regional security in the Indo-Pacific and is seen by the Netherlands as a key partner. Japan has also consistently supported Ukraine.
Contacts between the Dutch and Japanese armed forces have intensified in recent years. In April 2023, the Dutch Chief of Defence General Onno Eichelsheim met his Japanese counterpart General Yoshida in Japan. Both agreed that the situation in the Indo-Pacific requires closer cooperation. Earlier this year, General Yoshida visited the Netherlands in return
