The struggle for resources – one of the most important and most urgent problems of world politics today – stimulates the growth of military and political tension in the Arctic, the activity of the polar countries, including the great powers, USA and Russia, adding to the long-standing confrontation between them another acute issue of geopolitics. The situation is complicated by the lack of internationally recognized property rights to the possession of specific vast sectors of the Arctic Ocean and Islands in its waters by Arctic States. The article analyzes the formation and development of the Arctic direction in the foreign policy of East Asian countries, which is becoming more popular as climate changes occur in the Arctic region, associated with the accelerated melting of glaciers and stepping up of activities of the Arctic and interested States. The reasons and main motives of China, Japan, India and South Korea's aspirations to this geographically remote and extremely difficult polar region are revealed. In the context of current events of recent times, the approaches and policies of the most influential States in the ITR, the intertwining and contrasting of their interests and the possibility of international conflicts in this rapidly developing region that can seriously complicate the situation not only in the Arctic, but also in the international arena as a whole are considered. There is a clear trend towards confrontation between the great powers, which is faced with an opposing desire to interact with the majority of States interested in economic development and preservation of the Arctic ecosystem.