Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae and visiting French President Emmanuel Macron held talks on April 1 and agreed to remain in close contact toward the early de-escalation of the situation in the Middle East.

The two leaders agreed that ensuring the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is crucial, and confirmed they would remain in close contact to achieve an early de-escalation.

They also shared serious concerns over export restrictions on critical minerals, particularly in relation to China, and announced strategic cooperation in the field of economic security.

The two sides signed a cooperation roadmap to ensure a stable supply of critical minerals, including rare earths.

The meeting comes ahead of the G7 summit that is scheduled for June 2026 and will be hosted by France.

A Japanese Foreign Ministry official said that the French side hopes to deepen cooperation with Takaichi — who has built a strong relationship with President Trump — to ensure the success of the summit.