Japan to coordinate on energy with Indonesia as Iran war disrupts supplies

Japan and Indonesia strengthen energy collaboration as the Iran war disrupts vital oil, gas, and coal supplies to Asia. Leaders Takaichi and Subianto highlight the strategic importance of regional energy security.

Reuters

March 31, 2026

Japan to coordinate on energy with Indonesia as Iran war disrupts supplies

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi after they announced their statements at the Akasaka guesthouse in Tokyo, Japan, March 31, 2026.

YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/Reuters

Japan and Indonesia agreed to step up coordination on energy security, Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Tuesday (March 31), as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran squeezes oil and gas supplies vital to Asia.

Takaichi emphasized the strategic importance of cooperation on energy security amid the Iran situation, alongside Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto after they met for talks in Tokyo.

The summit comes amid mounting concern over the widening Middle East conflict, which has disrupted shipments of oil and gas through the key Strait of Hormuz.

Indonesia is the world's biggest exporter of thermal coal for power generation, supplying about half of global exports. It is also a major liquefied natural gas exporter, with roughly a quarter of its shipments bound for Japan.

Production: Joseph Campbell, Irene Wang/Reuters