Clean energy push: Japan, UK advance offshore wind power plan

Japan and the United Kingdom are considering establishing a new framework to promote collaboration on offshore wind power generation, according to Japanese government sources, as renewable energy gains renewed attention amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, News.az reports, citing Kyodo.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer are expected to exchange a memorandum on energy cooperation when they meet in London on Sunday. The agreement is also expected to cover next-generation nuclear power plants and nuclear fusion technology, the sources said.

The leaders are also preparing a joint statement on economic security centered on energy cooperation, in which they are expected to express concerns over economic coercion, including export controls on critical minerals, apparently with China in mind, according to the sources.

The upcoming meeting will mark their first summit since January in Tokyo. It comes as Britain and other European countries continue to expand large-scale offshore wind projects in the North Sea.

Japan, a resource-poor country that has long relied heavily on the Middle East for crude oil imports, has been seeking to diversify its energy sources amid rising regional tensions following the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran in late February.

Takaichi and Starmer are also expected to strengthen bilateral cooperation in innovation and advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence and semiconductors, while reaffirming the importance of resilient supply chains, the sources said.

Other topics on the agenda include a trilateral next-generation fighter jet project with Italy, as well as cooperation in the defense industry, cybersecurity, and intelligence activities.

Regarding the Middle East, the two leaders are expected to discuss ensuring safe navigation through the effectively closed Strait of Hormuz, a major global energy route, and may also consider Britain’s proposal to deploy a multinational force, according to the sources.

In addition to talks with Starmer, Takaichi is expected to visit Italy to meet Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Monday and attend the three-day Group of Seven summit in Evian, France, through next Wednesday.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev