<figure id="attachment_462913" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-462913" style="width: 6000px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="29e6e3c1"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/03/5692c004392dccb549e36284d64a4246-1.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-462913" class="wp-caption-text">METI Minister Akazawa (center) in conversation with U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum (left) and U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass (right).</figcaption></figure>
<h2> Energy Promotion</h2>
<p> The two-day Indo-Pacific Energy Security Ministerial Business Forum (IPEM) was held in Tokyo on March 14-15, 2014. On February 14, &#8217;25, President Trump issued an Executive Order on the establishment of the National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC) because of the U.S. dominance in the energy sector. This forum was to be held in accordance with the NEDC. Furthermore, this is the first forum to be held after the establishment of the NEDC, and it will be co-hosted by Japan and the U.S. Tokyo was chosen as the site for the forum. Eighteen countries from the Indo-Pacific region, including the U.S., Japan, Thailand, Australia, and South Korea, participated in the forum, which was attended by many energy ministers from each country, as well as 140 energy-related companies from each country. Since the event was held amidst the tense situation in the Middle East, including Iran, additional sessions and themes not originally set for the event were actively discussed.</p>
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<p> On January 20, &#8217;25, President Trump issued an Executive Order &#8220;Freeing America&#8217;s Energy&#8221; on the day of his inauguration, repealing state emission exemptions that mandate EV vehicle promotion, reviewing unfair subsidy programs, and ensuring a variety of options, including gasoline vehicles, under the Biden administration. The presidential decree runs counter to the EV vehicle mandate, subsidies for EV vehicle purchases, and other measures that had been proposed by the Biden administration.</p>
<p> The Presidential Declaration of National Energy Emergency, issued on the same day, also stated that &#8220;The imminent threat posed to the American people by high energy prices is exacerbated by our reduced ability to defend ourselves against hostile foreign forces. ～The declaration denies every aspect of the Biden administration&#8217;s energy policies and accelerates its promotion of the exact opposite, such as, &#8220;The policies of the previous administration have placed our nation in a state of national emergency.</p>
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<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" He is well known as a &quot;tariff negotiator.&quot;"></div>
<h2>He is well known as a &#8220;tariff negotiator.&#8221;</h2>
<p> In addition to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Chairman of the NEDC, several cabinet members and other dignitaries, including EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, attended this year&#8217;s forum. Energy Secretary Chris Wright was also scheduled to attend, but had to cancel his visit to Japan at short notice due to the situation in the Middle East. On the other hand, only Mr. Ryosei Akazawa, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry, attended from the Japanese side. Minister Akazawa, showing no signs of fatigue from dealing with the Diet until late at night the day before, made opening remarks in English.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> My name is Akimasa Akazawa, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. My name is Ryosei Akazawa, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.</span><span class="strongInContent"> I think I am well known as a tariff negotiator.</span></p>
<p> The audience burst into laughter.</p>
<p> The audience laughed.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> Japan depends on the Strait of Hormuz for more than 90% of its crude oil imports. The Japanese government is taking proactive measures to protect the daily lives and economic activities of its citizens from potential risks. The long-term, strategic choices we make today will determine the energy security of the Indo-Pacific region for decades to come. The Indo-Pacific region is the engine of global economic growth and Japan is the department store of energy technologies and innovation of all kinds. By sharing these technologies and experiences across Asia, we can strengthen regional energy security together.</span></p>
<p> Minister Akazawa continued. Following Minister Akazawa, Secretary Burgum made opening remarks.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> The purpose of the team here is to help achieve energy dominance. We may need a secure alternative source of supply that will not be disrupted by a terrorist regime. That is precisely the point. This conference was established a few months ago. The idea was conceived last year. The United States has an opportunity to build a more prosperous and safer world by working with all of our allies. Fortunately, President Trump is a leader who understands that energy policy cannot be separated from economic security, nor can it be separated from national security. The domination of the world&#8217;s economy by a small group of terrorists is unacceptable. We, the nations of the world, can unite in a forum such as this. I thank you all for being here. We in the United States are here to be a reliable, affordable, and secure partner for you.</span></p>
<p> He stated.</p>
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<p> Minister Akazawa and Secretary Burgum then witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for business cooperation between the USAID and the Development Bank of Japan, participated in a panel discussion, and held a series of meetings with ministers from the participating countries.</p>
<p> The two-day forum concluded with the signing of contracts totaling more than $56 billion. A month has passed since the military operation against Iran, and President Trump&#8217;s approval rating has begun to noticeably decline due to the worsening situation in the Middle East with no clear future, soaring oil prices, and excessive immigration policy. With midterm elections coming up this November, there is a sense of distrust even from within his own party, the Republican Party, and the tide is turning with the victory of a Democratic candidate in the March 24 state legislative by-election in southern Florida. This district is where President Trump&#8217;s residence, Mar-a-Lago, is located.</p>
<p> He also initially expressed his support for the military campaign against Iran, saying to the Iranian people, &#8220;The time of freedom has come. Help is coming.&#8221; Recently, however, he said, &#8220;I&#8217;m getting a little tired of it. I want to move on (to Cuba),&#8221; he told an aide, and after only two months or so, we began to see a change in policy. Although the forum was held at the behest of President Trump, it could hardly be called a success because of the military operation against Iran.</p>
<figure id="attachment_462914" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-462914" style="width: 6000px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="3b98cbd1"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/03/48dc6d1da52d4fa5a5069fad7e8389e3-1.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-462914" class="wp-caption-text"> Secretary Burgum (far right) and METI Minister Akazawa (second from right) witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on business cooperation between the U.S. Agency for Development and the Development Bank of Japan.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_462915" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-462915" style="width: 6000px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="7e359fdb"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/03/361f083dd0d8afc36abc9dade86b7179.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-462915" class="wp-caption-text"> Minister Akazawa and others pose for a commemorative photo with energy ministers from each country participating in the Indo-Pacific Ministerial Business Forum on Energy Security (IPEM).</figcaption></figure>
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 Takuma Arimura

 The Indo-Pacific Energy Security Ministerial Business Forum (IPEM) was held in Tokyo. This year's event was co-hosted by the U.S. and Japan, and amid the tense situation in the Middle East, additional sessions and themes not originally set for the event were actively discussed.

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