Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim agreed Wednesday to deepen energy security cooperation including on liquefied natural gas supplies, as Japan seeks to diversify supplies amid the Middle East conflict.
Speaking to reporters at her office after their summit talks, Takaichi said the two countries also signed a coast guard cooperation document, which aims to strengthen regional maritime security as both nations promote the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific, amid China’s growing influence in the region.
The two leaders also discussed deepening cooperation on strengthening supply chains for critical minerals while working with like-minded countries and institutions, according to Takaichi.
The meeting in Tokyo was the first between Takaichi and Anwar since they held talks in Kuala Lumpur in October on the sidelines of summit meetings involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Japan and Malaysia have been strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership.
Malaysia is a key energy exporter for resource-poor Japan, accounting for around 15 percent of its LNG supplies.
Japan is a major exporter of electrical equipment and auto parts to Malaysia.
Under its official security assistance framework designed to support like-minded countries, Japan has provided defensive equipment such as rescue boats and surveillance drones to Malaysia.
© KYODO
