In a telephonic conversation, both Prime Ministers expressed their desire to deepen bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Japan.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday praised Pakistan’s diplomatic role in facilitating talks between the United States and Iran in a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the two leaders discussed the recently held “Islamabad Talks” between the United States and Iran, hosted by Pakistan. Takaichi appreciated Pakistan’s role in supporting the diplomatic process and said it was important for regional stability and global energy security.
He expressed Japan’s “full support for the peace process and its importance for regional stability and global energy security,” the statement read.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif today received a phone call from HE Ms. Sanae Takaichi, Prime Minister of Japan.
During their warm and cordial conversation, the two leaders discussed the recently held talks in Islamabad between the United States and Iran, hosted by… pic.twitter.com/9oLAMPiF2L
— Prime Minister’s Office (@PakPMO) April 13, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz thanked the Japanese leader for her goodwill and noted that he was grateful to both the US and Iranian delegations for their “extensive discussions in Islamabad”. He said Pakistan would continue its efforts to ensure that the ceasefire is maintained, he added.
The Prime Minister also expressed his desire to further strengthen bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Japan, a sentiment reciprocated by the Japanese Prime Minister. Both leaders agreed to maintain close coordination in the future.
Also read: Pakistan turns its rivals into negotiators
The call comes a day after the United States and Iran were unable to reach an agreement to end their war despite marathon negotiations that lasted around 21 hours. The protracted talks, aimed at stopping hostilities that have killed thousands of people and sent global oil prices soaring over the past six weeks, ended with both sides blaming each other for the stalemate.
On Saturday, delegations from the United States and Iran arrived in Pakistan for conclusive talks following an immediate two-week ceasefire “everywhere, including Lebanon,” announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz, who then invited delegations from both countries to Islamabad.
The Iranian delegation was led by President Bagher Ghalibaf and assisted by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, while the American delegation was led by Vice President JD Vance, along with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
The United States and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on February 28, killing thousands of people in Iran, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and leaving tens of thousands injured, including civilian areas, including residential buildings and religious sites.
The conflict also expanded geographically. Iran retaliated with drone and missile attacks against Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets. It also restricted the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
