Indo-Pacific strengthens energy security cooperation

Tokyo — Government and business delegations from the Indo-Pacific region have reaffirmed their commitment to securing stable energy supplies across the region amid the conflict situation in the Middle East, according to Japanese Industry Minister Ryosei Akazawa on Sunday.

Akazawa stated at a press conference following the two-day Indo-Pacific Energy Security Ministers and Business Forum that participants also emphasised “the importance of investment in stable and reliable infrastructure, such as for nuclear power and liquefied natural gas, to address high energy demand in Asia.”

The forum, jointly organised by Japan and the United States, was held in Tokyo at a time when the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which most Middle Eastern oil destined for Asia passes, has been effectively blocked by Iran amid the US-Israel conflict against the country.

Forum participants, including government ministers and business leaders from 18 countries, also discussed robust energy systems that would contribute to ensuring energy security in the Indo-Pacific region in the future, Akazawa said.

“Strengthening partnerships across the Indo-Pacific is essential for global security and prosperity,” said US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum on Saturday, whilst pledging to expand US energy exports and counter actors engaging in coercive actions that exploit energy as a tool of control.

On the margins of the forum, Japan and the United States agreed to launch a rapid response team to address disruptions to critical mineral supply chains and to deepen bilateral collaboration in the sector.