Tomas Kaberger, chair of the Tokyo-based institute’s executive board, said the crisis had underscored Japan’s exposure to supply disruptions and rising fuel costs as tensions in the region intensify.

Japan relies on the Middle East for about 95% of its crude oil imports and roughly 11% of its liquefied natural gas supplies, according to industry estimates. Around 70% of its oil shipments and 6% of LNG imports typically pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor.

The halt in tanker traffic through the strait has triggered sharp increases in fuel prices, placing additional pressure on energy-importing economies such as Japan.

“When fossil fuel imports are cut, the power plants stop and your cars stop running,” Kaberger told Reuters in an interview last week, describing the risks posed by reliance on overseas fuel supplies.

He said the current crisis involving Iran served as a reminder that fossil-fuel dependence exposes economies to geopolitical tensions and price volatility.

The renewed focus on energy security comes as Japan marks 15 years since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, which transformed public attitudes toward nuclear power and reshaped the country’s energy policy.

Kaberger cautioned against viewing nuclear energy as a long-term solution, arguing that large centralized power plants could be vulnerable to modern military threats such as drones and precision strikes.

He pointed to damage inflicted on energy infrastructure during the Russia-Ukraine war as evidence that large facilities can be targeted during conflicts.

Instead, Kaberger said decentralized renewable systems including solar, wind and battery storage could provide stronger resilience because they distribute generation across multiple locations.

He added that advances in renewable technology have altered Japan’s long-standing perception of resource scarcity. While the country was historically considered resource-poor due to limited reserves of oil, coal, gas and uranium, falling costs of solar and wind power have shifted the landscape.

“In the 21st century, with solar, wind and battery technologies becoming the world’s cheapest forms of power generation, Japan is resource-rich,” Kaberger said.

Japanese minister Ryosei Akazawa said the request was made during talks with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick as Tokyo sought assurances that the latest tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump would not undermine the terms agreed in last year’s bilateral trade deal.The United States in February imposed a new 10% blanket tariff on imports that could rise to 15%, a move that has generated fresh uncertainty about global trade flows and the tariff rates facing importers under existing agreements.Akazawa said both governments reaffirmed their commitment to the bilateral trade framework agreed last year, which established a baseline 15% tariff on nearly all Japanese imports into the United States. That agreement had reduced duties from 27.5% on Japanese automobiles and avoided an initially proposed 25% tariff on most other goods.concerns over new tariff framework“We requested that Japan’s treatment under the new tariff rules would not become less favourable than what was agreed last year,” Akazawa said, referring to the potential impact of the newly introduced blanket levy on Japanese exporters.He said the tariffs could otherwise raise costs for certain Japanese products shipped to the United States, though he declined to provide details on specific sectors or how Washington responded to Tokyo’s request.The discussions reflect concerns in Tokyo that changes to U.S. tariff policy could alter the balance achieved in the previous agreement, which was designed to stabilize trade relations between the two countries.investment and economic cooperation discussed.

Akazawa said the talks also covered projects linked to Japan’s pledge to invest $550 billion in the United States, an initiative aimed at deepening economic cooperation between the two economies.He said the two sides discussed collaboration in areas including energy and critical minerals, sectors that have become increasingly important to supply chain security and industrial policy in both countries.The discussions come ahead of a planned visit by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to Washington on March 19, which officials expect will include further talks on economic ties and investment cooperation.U.S. statement focuses on economic tiesThe U.S. Commerce Department said in a post on X that Lutnick and Akazawa met to discuss strengthening economic ties following last month’s investment agreement between the two countries.The department did not mention Japan’s concerns about tariff treatment under the new U.S. import levy.The tariff measures introduced by the Trump administration have prompted governments and businesses to reassess the implications for global trade agreements and supply chains, particularly for export-dependent economies such as Japan.