CORE VALUES: The two leaders said that there is a need to bolster supply chains for critical minerals, as there are concerns about tighter restrictions
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By Jake Chung / Staff writer, with CNA
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Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday issued a joint statement emphasizing the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and called for the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues.
According to Japan’s Nikkei Shimbun, the two leaders exchanged views on China, North Korea and the Indo-Pacific region.
In November last year, Takaichi said an attack on Taiwan could prompt the deployment of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces if the situation posed an existential threat to Japan.
French President Emmanuel Macron, right, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visit Astroscale, a space venture company, in Tokyo yesterday.
Photo: AFP
Beijing interpreted the remarks as suggesting Japan might intervene militarily in the Taiwan Strait, contributing to the deterioration of ties between Tokyo and Beijing.
The Yomiuri Shimbun reported that Takaichi and Macron also discussed the Middle East, agreeing on the importance of ensuring safe maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz and maintaining stability in oil markets.
Both sides agreed to remain in close contact to help facilitate a resolution to tensions in the region, the report said.
“The security of Europe, the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific are closely linked, and the Middle East is an urgent issue shared by Japan and France,” Takaichi said at the start of the meeting.
Macron said the two countries share core values, including support for a rules-based international order grounded in multilateral cooperation.
The visit marked Macron’s second trip to Japan since the G7 summit in Hiroshima in May 2023.
The joint statement also emphasized the need to bolster supply chains for critical minerals.
While it did not mention China by name, the statement expressed concern about some countries tightening restrictions on exports of key materials.
It said a roadmap would be developed to enhance economic security, including joint initiatives to ensure stable supplies of resources such as rare earths.
The two sides also agreed to cooperate on nuclear energy, including next-generation reactor technologies.
