Japan, a non-member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is set to announce its participation in a NATO-led framework to accelerate the purchase of U.S. weapons to supply to Ukraine, sources close to the matter said Tuesday.
Equipment bought with Japan’s contributions will be limited to non-lethal items such as vehicles and radar systems under the “Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List” initiative, according to the NATO sources.
Among non-NATO nations, Australia and New Zealand joined the PURL framework in December. As a NATO partner like the two countries, Japan is expected to align with them in stepping up support for Ukraine, the sources said.
The sources said Japan’s involvement would be significant even if its contributions are limited to non-lethal equipment, while Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Tuesday that there is currently no agreement with NATO on Japan taking part in the PURL initiative.
Support for Ukraine from the U.S., which Russia invaded in February 2022, stalled after President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, as he prioritized U.S. interests and pressured allies to take on more of the burden.
