Japan, Australia agree to deepen cooperation on energy, defense and critical minerals

MELBOURNE, Australia -- The prime ministers of Japan and Australia agreed to deepen cooperation in a wide range of areas including energy security, defense and critical minerals as the Iran war threatens global supply chains.Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met her Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese at Australia’s Parliament House on Monday during Takaichi's first visit to the country as national leader.Takaichi said they held strategic discussions on China, Southeast Asia, Pacific Island countries, nuclear issues and abductions by North Korea.“The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz had been inflicting enormous impact on the Indo-Pacific. We affirmed that Japan and Australia will closely communicate with each other in responding with a sense of urgency,” Takaichi told reporters through an interpreter.Australia provides almost half of Japan’s liquefied natural gas. Japan is one of Australia’s top five suppliers of refined gasoline and diesel.Albanese traveled to Singapore, Brunei and Malaysia in recent weeks to shore up supplies of gasoline and diesel following disruptions caused by attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel beginning in late February.The bilateral agreements reached Monday would benefit the populations of Japan and Australia, Albanese said.“For Australians, it will mean we are less vulnerable to global shocks