Press Releases

Minister MOTEGI stated that he is pleased to have the opportunity to welcome Minister Jarrah in Tokyo on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Kuwait, following two telephone calls between them since the end of February and the in-person meeting in Türkiye in July this year. Minister MOTEGI also expressed his sympathy for the continued damage Kuwait has suffered from attacks by Iran even after their previous meeting held in July and expressed his gratitude for the warm message of sympathy from Kuwait regarding the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake.

1. Minister MOTEGI expressed his appreciation that, amid the continued instability in the Strait of Hormuz, Kuwait has been making every effort to maintain energy supplies to the global market, and in particular for the long-standing stable supply of crude oil from Kuwait to Japan. Minister MOTEGI also stated, with regard to “Power Asia,” a framework launched by Japan to ensure a stable supply of oil to the Asian region, that Japan intends to continue working closely with Kuwait to strengthen oil reserves in Asia. Minister Jarrah expressed his appreciation for this initiative. Furthermore, Minister Jarrah stated that Kuwait would continue to work to ensure a stable supply of crude oil to Japan.
2. Minister MOTEGI conveyed that Japan has been formulating a comprehensive cooperation plan aimed at strengthening the economic and energy resilience of the Gulf countries, including Kuwait. In response, Minister Jarrah expressed his welcome for this plan.
3. The two ministers welcomed that substantive progress has been seen in cooperation projects under the Comprehensive and Strategic Partnership and concurred to accelerate bilateral cooperation across a wide range of fields including AI and education, through resuming the Japan-Kuwait joint committee, as well as holding a policy consultation meeting between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, and security dialogues.

1. On the situation surrounding Iran, Minister MOTEGI, while referring to his recent visits to Saudi Arabia and Oman, stated that Japan considers it is important to re-open the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible, and then, with the resumption of negotiations between the United States and Iran, to reach a final agreement, including on Iran’s nuclear issue, at an early date.
   The two ministers concurred on the importance of ensuring free and safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz without additional costs, and they confirmed that they would work closely together on the understanding that the future arrangements regarding the strait should be discussed among the relevant parties, including the littoral States and the States using the Strait.
2. Regarding the situation surrounding Palestine, the two ministers reaffirmed the importance of a two-state solution and concurred on the urgency for the international community as a whole to respond in order to prevent settlement activities and acts of violence in the West Bank. Furthermore, the two ministers confirmed that they would work closely on their policies toward North Korea, including on the nuclear and missile issues as well as the abductions issue.