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| ▲ Former Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks during the opening session of the Asan Plenum forum, hosted by the Asan Institute of Policy Studies, in Seoul, on April 8, 2026. (Yonhap) |
S Korea-Japan-Mideast crisis
Ex-Japan PM calls for Seoul-Tokyo cooperation at U.N. level to help reopen Strait of Hormuz
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, April 8 (Yonhap) -- Former Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday called for South Korea and Japan to work together, such as at the U.N. level, to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, citing deepening supply disruptions from the war against Iran that are affecting the global economy.
Ishiba made the remarks during a forum in Seoul, stressing that Iran's effective blockade of the vital waterway, responsible for about 20 percent of global energy supplies, is not limited to just a few countries, but has significantly caused supply disruptions and threatened world stability.
"The fighting in Iran must come to an end as soon as possible," Ishiba said during a keynote speech at Asan Plenum, hosted by the Asan Institute of Policy Studies. He spoke through an interpreter.
"It is necessary to approach this as a security matter based on U.N. resolutions. Like-minded countries, including Japan and South Korea, should come together to respond and consider taking the lead in advancing those discussions at the U.N.," he added.
In light of expanding cooperation, Ishiba went on to suggest that South Korea and Japan consider signing an acquisition and cross-servicing agreement (ACSA) as a next step in their bilateral relations.
"Close coordination between South Korea and Japan is of paramount importance for regional and global peace," he said. "I believe signing a Japan-Korea ACSA is an important task."
The ACSA refers to a bilateral pact between the U.S. and its allies on facilitating the sharing of logistics supplies and services, such as food, fuel and transportation, during military training or deployments.
The idea of signing an ACSA with Japan gained limited traction in South Korea under previous conservative governments. The issue is considered very sensitive due to concerns that it could potentially allow Japan's Self-Defense Forces to engage in operations on the Korean Peninsula.
Regarding North Korean threats, Ishiba called on the need to enhance trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the U.S. and Japan to maximize deterrence against Pyongyang's evolving nuclear and missile capabilities.
"Coordination among South Korea, the United States and Japan, as well as bilateral cooperation between Korea and Japan, and between Korea and the United States, must be strengthened more significantly and rapidly than ever before to maximize the effectiveness of deterrence by denial," he said.
Ishiba, who has advocated creating a collective defense framework in Asia, or an Asian version of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), reiterated his view.
"To advance a lattice-like security cooperation framework that could evolve in time into a NATO-style structure, I believe this is the most realistic option ... I think it is worth considering scenarios that would also include South Korea and the Philippines," he said.
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