Overview
- Following Saturday talks in Hanoi, Japan and Vietnam signed six cooperation deals and named economic security as a new priority for the partnership.
- Takaichi used a university address to update Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy, calling for joint work on artificial intelligence, undersea cables and energy security.
- The leaders agreed to tighten cooperation on critical minerals and to reinforce semiconductor supply chains to reduce exposure to single-country sources.
- They reaffirmed security cooperation and backed resolving South China Sea disputes through international law to keep sea lanes open for trade.
- Japan flagged business concerns after new Japanese investment pledges to Vietnam fell about 75% in the first quarter to $233 million as two-way trade rose 12.3% to $13.7 billion, and Takaichi now heads to Australia for talks that could yield a joint supply‑chain declaration.