NIPPON



 

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his Laotian counterpart, Thongsavan Phomvihane, agreed Friday that their countries will promote cooperation to strengthen supply chains for energy and critical minerals.

They reached the agreement at a meeting in Tokyo, amid supply instability reflecting Middle East tensions.

Thongsavan, who also serves as deputy prime minister of Laos, expressed support for the Partnership on Wide Energy and Resources Resilience, or Powerr Asia, a new energy support framework for Asian countries, which was announced by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi last month.

Motegi voiced pleasure at progress in exchanges between the two countries in various fields, citing a visit to Laos by Princess Aiko, the daughter of Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, last November.