Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim agreed Wednesday to strengthen cooperation on stable energy supplies as tensions in the Middle East continued to raise concerns over global fuel markets.
The two leaders met at the prime minister’s office in Tokyo, where energy security was among the main issues discussed.
Takaichi and Anwar affirmed cooperation to help ensure the steady supply of liquefied natural gas from Malaysia to Japan.
Malaysia is a major energy partner for Japan, accounting for about 15 percent of its LNG imports, second only to Australia.
The two leaders also agreed to work together on securing petroleum-related products, including raw materials used for chemical fertilizers.
Takaichi noted that Japan and Malaysia will mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027.
She said Tokyo wanted to further deepen the relationship that the two countries had built over the decades.
Anwar, for his part, emphasized the importance of the friendly relationship between Japan and Malaysia under their comprehensive strategic partnership.