Iran–Japan relations (nonfiction)
Iran–Japan relations (Persian: روابط ایران و ژاپن, Japanese: 日本とイランの関係) are diplomatic relations between Iran and Japan, which were formally established in August 1929. Throughout history, except during World War II, both of the countries have maintained a relatively friendly and strongly strategic partnership.
History
Embassy of Iran in Japan Present-day Iran and Japan were known to have had direct trade links since at least the 7th century, but new testing on a piece of wood—first discovered in the 1960s—suggests broader ties, Japanese researchers said. Infrared imaging revealed previously unreadable characters on the wood—a standard writing surface in Japan before paper—that named a Persian official living in the country.[4] Strong cultural influence from Persian exist in Japan as well as in Korea.
In 1878, the Japanese ambassador to Russia, Enomoto Takeaki, was received in a formal audience in Saint Petersburg by Persian King Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar. However, formal diplomatic relations were not established until 1929. A Treaty of Amity was signed between Iran and Japan in 1939, and cordial relations were maintained during World War II until 1942, when the Allies invaded Persia. Formal diplomatic relations were restored in 1953 after the signing of the Treaty of San Francisco.
Iran and Japan signed a visa-free travel arrangement in 1974, but it was terminated in April 1992 due to large-scale illegal Iranian migration to Japan, following the Iranian Revolution aftermath.[9] Iran and Japan also cooperate on regional foreign policy issues in the Middle East, such as the reconstruction of Afghanistan and the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.[10] Since 2004, Japan has been working on developing Iran's largest on-shore oil field, located at Azadegan.[11]
Iranian president Seyyed Mohammad Khatami made a state visit to Japan in October 2000.[citation needed]
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Iran in June 2019.[12]
Trade relations
Japan's foreign policy towards and investments in Iran have historically been dominated by the desire to secure reliable energy supplies; Iran is Japan's third-largest oil supplier after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.[13]
The balance of trade between Iran and Japan is heavily weighed in favor of Iran, with Japan exporting automobiles and electrical products and importing petroleum and petrochemical products. As of 2010, Japan cooperates with Iran on several major projects; the annual trade volume of the two states exceeds $11 billion.
June 2019 tanker explosion
"Japan bought Iranian oil in defiance of U.S. sanctions. U.S. stopped giving them waiver to do so. Iran invited Japan PM to talk and keep buying their oil. Pompeo says that Iran would choose this moment to bomb tankers on the way to, wait for it, Japan."
- Margaret Kimberley
"The Japanese owner of one of the oil tankers attacked near Iran on Thursday says the vessel was struck by a projectile and not by a mine.
“We received reports that something flew towards the ship,” says Yutaka Katada, president of Kokuka Sangyo."
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