Macron’s call for a Middle East ceasefire landed during a visit to Japan in which he met Takaichi at the Akasaka Palace in Tokyo. French and Japanese officials framed the message around international law and the shared democratic values that they said guide their ties, and they linked the push for de-escalation to maintaining calm and commercial movement through the Strait of Hormuz.
At a joint news conference, Macron said the two countries “both advocate for a return to peace, a ceasefire, calm, and free passage through the Strait of Hormuz.” He presented the ceasefire call as part of the broader principles he said he and Takaichi share, and he did not tie the remarks to a question-and-answer session because reporters were not allowed to ask questions.
Takaichi, speaking alongside Macron, said the leaders agreed on the importance of quickly de-escalating the conflict and securing the safety of the Strait of Hormuz, calling the waterway vital and tied to the stable supply of goods. She also said it was meaningful for the Japanese and French leaders to deepen their friendship and cooperation amid what she described as an increasingly severe international environment.
The meeting also focused on expanding cooperation beyond crisis diplomacy. The leaders said they agreed to deepen coordination in defense, rare earths development, nuclear energy, space and other areas, reflecting a widening agenda that has accompanied Japan and France’s efforts to strengthen partnerships in the Indo-Pacific.
Japan and France have also been building defense cooperation in the region, where France has troops, citizens and resources and seeks to protect its interests while demonstrating a presence alongside like-minded democracies concerned about China’s growing influence. Earlier Tuesday, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and France’s Catherine Vautrin signed a road map of defense cooperation between the two countries, including increased joint exercises and exchanges in the Indo-Pacific.
Separately, Japan and France’s trade ministers signed a deal in a joint rare earths project. China controls most of the global production of rare earths, which are used to make powerful, heat-resistant magnets for industries such as defense and electric vehicles, according to the reporting on the agreements.
The leaders said they also agreed on steps involving nuclear technology, including cooperation in the development of a fast reactor and a nuclear fuel recycling program. Macron and Takaichi described Japan’s efforts in nuclear fuel recycling as a focus area, with Japan said to be struggling in the development of that program.
Macron’s trip also intersected with recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump about the Strait of Hormuz. In remarks reported as coming overnight, Trump said responsibility for keeping the strait open would fall on countries that rely on it, including France, and he was seen as increasingly annoyed about Europe’s lack of support for the U.S.-Israeli war. Macron did not mention Trump or his comment during the Tokyo news conference, where reporters were not allowed to ask questions.
On Thursday, Macron and Takaichi are scheduled to visit a company specializing in space debris removal technology as part of their cooperation in space. Macron is then set to hold a courtesy meeting with Emperor Naruhito and attend a palace lunch before heading to South Korea.