Is It Time To Revisit an ‘Asian NATO’ or New SEATO?
Prior to his brief tenure as Japanese prime minister, Ishiba Shigeru proposed an “Asian NATO” that would provide collective security to Japan and other US partners in the Indo-Pacific. His successor, Japanese PM Takaichi Sanae — who has been re-elected in a landslide after campaigning on strengthening Japan’s Self-Defense Forces amid China’s threats — has also advocated for a stronger defense network in the region. It is not the first time a similar idea has been proposed. In 1954, a treaty was signed by eight nations in Manila to create the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO). However, it was criticized at the time as ineffectual, internally divided and lacking a clear mandate. It was later dissolved in 1977. Why did the original SEATO fail? And what lessons does it have for a potential ‘Asian NATO’? In this episode, we examine the history of SEATO, the region’s current geopolitical and security situation, and the possibility of a North Atlantic-style alliance in the Indo-Pacific. *Recorded on November 26, 2025 at 2pm Taiwan Standard Time Host/Senior Producer: Yin Khvat Our guests: Liuo To-Hai - National Chengchi University College of International Affairs Adjunct Distinguished Professor Guermantes Lailari - Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR) Visiting Scholar - US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Tsai Jung-hsiang - National Chung Cheng University Political Science Professor
