During his visit to Japan on Wednesday, April 1st, Emmanuel Macron responded to accusations from Donald Trump, who criticized France for being “very uncooperative” in the war against Iran. “It’s absolutely true, from the very beginning. France is not participating,” stated the French president.
In an interview broadcast on the Japanese channel NHK during his visit to Japan, Emmanuel Macron addressed the accusations from Donald Trump. The American president had chastised France for being “very uncooperative” in the war being led against Iran by the United States and Israel. Macron, his French counterpart, acknowledged: “There is nothing new, it’s true from day one, so there should be no surprise.” He emphasized that France, “which has not been consulted and is not part of this military offensive (…) is not participating” in the war. On March 31, Trump had accused France on his Truth social network of banning the flyover of its territory by “planes bound for Israel carrying military equipment.”
The French president advocates for “a demanding framework of cooperation”
The Elysée remains faithful to its message of “peace, de-escalation, and the resumption of negotiations that can only resolve fundamental issues,” reaffirmed Emmanuel Macron from Tokyo. He added: “Nothing would be worse than bombing the region for weeks and leaving without establishing a new framework. What France advocates for is a demanding framework of cooperation.” The French president also mentioned his desire for a “peaceful and orderly” reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, “in consultation with all stakeholders.” This includes Japan, whose economy is also affected by the transit blockade of oil.
Strengthened ties with Japan
This trip by Emmanuel Macron to Japan is his fourth in nine years of office. During his meeting with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Emmanuel Macron urged Japanese businesses to “look at France and Europe with fresh eyes” and contribute to strengthening ties between the two countries. Agreements were signed, notably on access to critical minerals, defense cooperation, and common projects on DNA encryption methods or space debris countermeasures.
