G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Paris (Overview of the “Session 3: Stability in the Middle East”)

On November 10, commencing at 10:50 a.m. local time (6:50 p.m. on November 10, Japan time) for approximately 70 minutes, Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who is visiting Paris, France, to attend the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, participated in the session on “Stability in the Middle East.” (The

session was attended by the Foreign Ministers of the G7, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and the Foreign Ministers of the invited countries: Brazil, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.)

1. In this session, the G7 Foreign Ministers, together with the invited countries, discussed the situation in the Middle East and how to respond to it.
2. Minister MOTEGI expressed deep concern over the continued deterioration of the situation surrounding Yemen, and stated that Japan would like to work with the international community as a whole to ensure free and safe navigation through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, among other efforts. He also stated that Japan had repeatedly called on the Houthis to exercise maximum restraint, and emphasized the need to achieve a political solution to the conflict.
3. Minister MOTEGI further expressed support for the early resumption of talks between the United States and Iran, and stated that Japan would continue its approaches to Iran. He stressed that free and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz without any additional costs must be restored as soon as possible, and that it is important that the future of the Strait be discussed by those concerned.
4. The Ministers reaffirmed the importance of free and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. They also confirmed their opposition to additional costs imposed on maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
5. The Ministers also discussed, among other matters, the situation in Israel and Palestine, and developments in Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon. They concurred to work closely together toward an early de-escalation and stabilization of the situation in the Middle East region as a whole.