Finnish Ambassador to Japan Tanja Jaaskelainen gives an interview in Sapporo, northern Japan, on May 12, 2023. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

The Finnish ambassador to Tokyo has called for tighter relations between Japan and her country in the wake of its accession to NATO, describing the security of Europe and Asia as intertwined in the face of geopolitical challenges.

"It is clear that the security environment in Europe and Asia is inseparable," Tanja Jaaskelainen said in an interview with Kyodo News in Sapporo on Friday, adding that Europe "can learn" from Japan when it comes to dealing with the Pacific region.

Jaaskelainen, whose country became the 31st member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in April, said Japan is in an "excellent place" in the region and that "Europe can benefit a lot from that experience."

We can "try to build our resilience based on knowledge," she added.

The majority of European countries are part of NATO, with Finland abandoning its long-standing stance of military neutrality to join the trans-Atlantic alliance in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Citing the necessity to uphold the rules-based international order, NATO has been moving its traditional focus on Russia to also include the Indo-Pacific by deepening relations with partners amid China's military expansion in the region.

NATO is planning to open a liaison office in Tokyo, a move that has drawn criticism from China.