Seoul, April 8 (NationPress) Former Prime Minister of Japan, Shigeru Ishiba, urged on Wednesday for collaborative efforts between South Korea and Japan at the UN level to facilitate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. This call comes amid escalating supply chain issues due to the ongoing conflict in Iran, which are significantly impacting the global economy.

During a forum held in Seoul, Ishiba highlighted the critical blockade by Iran of this essential shipping route, which is responsible for approximately 20% of global energy supplies. He emphasized that the repercussions of this situation extend beyond a few nations, posing a substantial threat to worldwide stability.

"The violent conflict in Iran must cease immediately," Ishiba stated in his keynote address at the Asan Plenum, organized by the Asan Institute of Policy Studies, with an interpreter facilitating his speech.

"This issue should be treated as a security concern in accordance with UN resolutions. Nations that share similar views, including Japan and South Korea, need to unite and lead discussions at the UN regarding this matter," he continued.

Looking towards deepening cooperation, Ishiba suggested that South Korea and Japan should contemplate signing an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) as a logical next step in their bilateral relations.

He asserted, "Close collaboration between South Korea and Japan is crucial for maintaining both regional and global peace." He added, "I regard the signing of a Japan-Korea ACSA as a significant objective."

The ACSA refers to an agreement between the U.S. and its partners to streamline the sharing of logistical supplies and services, including food, fuel, and transportation, during military operations or training, as reported by Yonhap news agency.

Under previous conservative administrations, the concept of signing an ACSA with Japan saw limited support in South Korea, largely due to the sensitivity surrounding concerns that it could permit Japan's Self-Defense Forces to engage in operations within the Korean Peninsula.

In light of North Korean threats, Ishiba emphasized the necessity of strengthening trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan to enhance deterrence against Pyongyang's advancing nuclear and missile capabilities.

"It is imperative that coordination among South Korea, the United States, and Japan, along with bilateral partnerships between Korea and Japan, and Korea and the U.S., is intensified more urgently than ever to optimize deterrence effectiveness," he stated.

Ishiba, who has been a proponent of establishing a collective defense framework in Asia akin to a NATO structure, reaffirmed his stance. "To develop a robust security cooperation framework that could potentially evolve into a NATO-style alliance, I consider this a highly viable option... It is worth contemplating scenarios that might also include South Korea and the Philippines," he concluded.