Sawt Falasteen - Japan, Australia discuss energy, critical minerals

Australia is a major supplier of coal and liquefied natural gas to Japan, which in turn is a source for about seven percent of Australia's diesel.

Takaichi held talks with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese before jointly addressing the media, with energy, critical minerals and defence expected to be on the agenda.

"Gas plays a role in all our discussions because it fundamentally underpins the shared energy security between our countries," Foreign Minister Penny Wong told journalists in Canberra before the talks.

"Our export partners have always put to us they want reliability," she said.

Roughly one-fifth of the world's oil normally flows through the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping has been throttled by Iran since it was attacked by the United States and Israel.

Japan's government has said it is also keen to ensure a stable supply of critical minerals, essential for semiconductors, electric vehicle batteries and weapons systems.

Australia has touted its abundant critical minerals as a way to loosen China's grip over global supplies of rare earths.

"We want to make sure that we're resilient in a time where we see a lot of economic and global disruption," Wong said.

"Critical minerals are necessary for our economy."

Australia and Japan have strengthened their defence ties, too, striking a Aus$10 billion (US$6 billion) deal last year for Japan to to provide Mogami-class stealth warships to the Australian navy.

In a foreign policy address delivered in Vietnam at the weekend, Takaichi promised to do more to ensure a "free and open Indo-Pacific" -- a strategy that has rankled China.

Japan aimed to build its resilience, she said, notably strengthening its supply chains for energy and critical minerals, and enhancing security cooperation.

First articulated a decade ago by Takaichi's mentor Shinzo Abe, the idea of a "free and open" Indo-Pacific has since been embraced by multiple US partners and allies seeking to curb China's influence in the region.

N.Awad--SF-PST