Security in the Strait of Hormuz and energy supplies were the main topics discussed by Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah at a meeting in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Motegi said he considered it important for the strait to reopen as soon as possible. The Japanese minister also said talks between the United States and Iran should resume and that an early agreement covering Iran's nuclear issue should be reached.
Passage and energy supplies in the Strait of Hormuz
The two sides agreed that free and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz should be ensured without creating additional costs.
They said that relevant parties, including countries bordering the waterway and states using the strait, should be involved in future arrangements concerning it. The Strait of Hormuz is considered one of the key routes for global energy transport.
Instability around the strait has heightened concerns about the security of oil supplies and international maritime transport. Motegi commended Kuwait's efforts to maintain energy supplies to global markets despite instability in the region. The Japanese minister also emphasized that Kuwait had long provided Japan with a stable supply of crude oil.
Repercussions of US-Iran tensions
After the United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran in late February, Tehran responded with attacks on Israel and US military targets in the region. In mid-June, the United States and Iran signed an agreement brokered by Pakistan and Qatar, but its implementation was later disrupted by disagreements over the Strait of Hormuz.
After the United States resumed its military attacks on Iran last month, Iran targeted US military assets located in some Arab countries allied with Washington.
Palestine and North Korea on the agenda
Motegi and al-Sabah reiterated their support for a two-state solution on Palestine. The two ministers called for international initiatives to prevent settlement activity and violence in the occupied West Bank.
Japan and Kuwait also agreed to coordinate their policies on North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, as well as the abduction issue. As part of his visit to Tokyo, al-Sabah met with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
