Quad remains ‘vital’, says Japanese Foreign Minister, rejecting concerns over the grouping’s importance in the Indo-Pacific

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi responded to concerns that the four-nation group was losing relevance, stating that the Quad remains a “vital framework” and stated in an interview that ‘Cooperation on Critical Minerals’ needed for green energy and high technology will be at the top of the agenda of the Quadrilateral Meeting of Foreign Ministers (FMM) on Tuesday, May 25, 2026. Mr Motegi also said Japan was working on critical mineral projects in India but called for improved infrastructure, more tax subsidies and protection of intellectual property rights.

The Quad meeting, which will be hosted by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and attended by Mr. Motegi, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, is expected to determine the agenda of the Quad Summit, which has not been held since 2024 on a number of issues amid India-US tensions, in addition to evaluating the conflict in Iran, the Strait of Hormuz blockade and US President Donald Trump’s visit to China this month.