ISTANBUL

Japan and France on Wednesday agreed to advance cooperation on critical minerals supply as well as nuclear power, Kyodo News reported.

At a meeting in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and French President Emmanuel Macron expressed "serious concerns" about restrictions on critical mineral exports.

China, which reportedly mines about 70% of the world’s supply and refines around 90%, tightened export rules on these minerals last year.

Takaichi and Macron agreed to maintain close communication to support de-escalation efforts in the Middle East.

"Amid an increasingly severe international security environment, cooperation with like-minded countries has never been more important for the peace and prosperity of our nations and the region," said Takaichi, calling France a "special partner."

The two leaders also agreed to establish a high-level dialogue on artificial intelligence.

Macron is on a three-day visit to Japan that started Tuesday and will travel to South Korea afterward.

The trip is his first since taking office in 2017 that is focused solely on a bilateral summit, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

"In a world rocked by wars and tensions, the exceptional partnership between Japan and France continues to strengthen. Peace, sovereignty, and prosperity are our shared horizon," Macron said on US social media company X.

Separately, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi held a meeting with their French counterparts Jean-Noel Barrot and Catherine Vautrin, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

The two sides discussed cooperation in the space sector, cybersecurity, Japan’s relations with NATO and the EU, nuclear disarmament and developments in the Middle East.