Japan and France step up coordination on Hormuz and Iran conflict

Japan and France agreed on Wednesday to coordinate closely in efforts to end the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and reopen 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. 

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 roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows reopens, they could face shortages of petroleum products.

Japan, which typically sources around 90% of its oil from the Middle East, has begun drawing on its reserves to cushion the economic impact.

Speaking alongside Takaichi, Macron said he shared her position on the need to restore freedom of navigation in the strait.

• Strait of Hormuz blockade triggers urgent response from UK, France and Japan
• France rules out joining U.S.-Israel war with Iran but vows to help protect shipping routes
• Japan, Indonesia step up energy ties as U.S.-Israeli Iran war strains supplies

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, although any role would be constrained by its pacifist constitution.

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.

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