TOKYO, April 1 (Reuters) - Japan and France agreed on Wednesday to coordinate closely in pushing for an end to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to oil and gas
Japan, France Forge Stronger Ties to Address Hormuz and Iran Conflict
Japan and France Coordinate Response to Middle East Crisis
Diplomatic Efforts to End Conflict and Reopen Strait of Hormuz
TOKYO, April 1 (Reuters) - Japan and France agreed on Wednesday to coordinate closely in pushing for an end to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to oil and gas tankers, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said.
"Because the international situation is so challenging, I believe there is great significance in the leaders of Japan and France deepening their personal ties and making our cooperation even stronger," Takaichi said after talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Tokyo on security ties and industrial cooperation.
Impact of Middle East Conflict on Global Energy Markets
With the Middle East conflict now in its fifth week, Japan, France and other countries are grappling with rising energy costs. Unless the conduit for about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas flows reopens, they could face shortages of petroleum products.
Japan's Measures to Mitigate Energy Shortages
Japan, which normally gets around 90% of its oil from the Middle East, has begun drawing on its oil reserves to cushion the economic blow.
International Cooperation and Security Initiatives
Speaking alongside Takaichi, Macron said he shared her position on the need to restore freedom of navigation in the strait.
France has held talks with dozens of countries as it seeks proposals for a mission to reopen the waterway once the conflict ends. Japan has said it could consider dispatching minesweepers, though the scope of any role would be constrained by its pacifist constitution.
Strengthening Bilateral Ties Beyond Security
Agreements on Economic and Technological Cooperation
The two leaders also said they would pursue closer security ties in the Indo-Pacific and signed agreements on cooperation in critical mineral supply chains, civilian nuclear technology and artificial intelligence.
(Reporting by Tim Kelly and Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
