Japan, France Agree to Advance Cooperation on Critical Minerals
During a bilateral summit held in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and French President Emmanuel Macron voiced "serious concerns" over tightening restrictions on critical mineral exports — a pointed reference to China, which reportedly accounts for roughly 70% of global mining output and approximately 90% of worldwide refining capacity, having moved to tighten its grip on exports of those resources last year.
The two leaders additionally pledged to maintain close and ongoing communication in support of de-escalation initiatives across the Middle East.
"Amid an increasingly severe international security environment, cooperation with like-minded countries has never been more important for the peace and prosperity of our nations and the region," Takaichi said, designating France a "special partner."
The summit also produced an agreement to launch a dedicated high-level dialogue on artificial intelligence, signalling the breadth of the two nations' expanding strategic partnership.
Macron is currently midway through a three-day visit to Japan that commenced Tuesday, after which he is scheduled to travel to South Korea. According to Japan's Foreign Ministry, the trip marks his first since assuming office in 2017 to be devoted exclusively to a bilateral summit.
"In a world rocked by wars and tensions, the exceptional partnership between Japan and France continues to strengthen. Peace, sovereignty, and prosperity are our shared horizon," Macron wrote on US social media platform X.
On the margins of the summit, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi convened separately with their French counterparts, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin, the Foreign Ministry confirmed. Those talks spanned an expansive agenda covering space sector cooperation, cybersecurity, Japan's evolving ties with NATO and the EU, nuclear disarmament, and the latest developments in the Middle East.
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