Japan, South Korea push for closer cooperation on stable energy supply

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung are expected to agree on strengthening cooperation to ensure a stable supply of energy resources when they meet on Tuesday, amid global disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict.

During their summit in Andong, the South Korean president’s hometown in the southeast of the country, Takaichi and Lee are also likely to discuss broader economic security issues, including efforts to build more resilient supply chains for critical minerals, according to Japanese government officials, News.Az reports, citing Kyodo.

Takaichi’s two-day visit to Andong through Wednesday marks her third summit with Lee and is part of ongoing reciprocal leader-level visits that reflect improving bilateral relations in recent years.

The South Korean government has said Takaichi will be received with honors equivalent to those of a state guest. The two leaders are scheduled to hold a joint press event following their talks.

“I look forward to taking the time to deepen discussions with President Lee and to achieving a fruitful outcome toward the further development of Japan-South Korea ties, in the current challenging international situation including Middle Eastern and Indo-Pacific affairs,” Takaichi told reporters before departing Tokyo.

The two leaders previously met in Nara in western Japan, the capital of Takaichi’s home prefecture, in January. According to the South Korean presidential office, this will be the first time both leaders have visited each other’s home regions.

Both Japan and South Korea rely heavily on crude oil imports from the Middle East and face shared challenges in securing energy supplies, particularly oil and related products, following Israeli-U.S. strikes on Iran in late February that led to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments.

Until recent years, relations between the two countries had been strained due to disputes over compensation for forced labor during Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945, as well as other historical and territorial disagreements.

However, ties have improved since South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s predecessor announced a resolution to the wartime labor issue in 2023, and reciprocal leader visits resumed that same year after being suspended since 2011.

Takaichi visited South Korea late last year shortly after taking office in October, attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit in Gyeongju, where she met Lee.

Lee, previously known for his firm stance toward Japan, became president in June after former president Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached following his short-lived declaration of martial law, which triggered domestic protests.

In response to North Korea’s missile and nuclear development and China’s expanding military activity, Japan and South Korea have been strengthening bilateral and trilateral security cooperation with the United States.

The leaders are also expected to discuss recent diplomatic developments, including last week’s meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump in Beijing, according to officials.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev