Macron's Tokyo Visit: Europe Moves to Align With Japan on Key Strategic Issues

From March 31 to April 2, 2026, French President Emmanuel Macron paid an official visit to Tokyo for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. 

Following the meeting, the two countries agreed to deepen cooperation on diversifying supply chains for critical resources and rare earths, and to expand collaboration in defense, technology, nuclear, and space sectors. Further talks are expected during Prime Minister Takaichi’s June visit to Évian for the G7 summit.

While both leaders stressed the need for continued security cooperation in Eastern Europe, East Asia, and the Middle East, Emmanuel Macron didn’t endorse Takaichi’s view of indivisible threats across the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions, nor did he comment on expanding France’s presence in Australasia. This highlighted persistent strategic differences between Tokyo and Paris.