Japan’s PM Fumio Kishida to visit UAE

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will be visiting the UAE on Monday to meet President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, reported state news agency WAM. 

Kishida will arrive in Abu Dhabi from Jeddah, where he began his three-country Middle East tour.

The Japanese prime minister looked back at the historic ties between the two nations which date back over 50 years prior to his arrival. He was quoted as saying, “Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and the UAE. Looking back, Japanese companies have been involved in the development of oil industries in Abu Dhabi since the 1960s, and the secure energy supply from the UAE has supported Japan’s economic growth for many years.”

The UAE is Japan’s seventh-largest trading partner globally and currently supplies up to 20 per cent of the Asian country’s oil needs. While, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar combined account for over 80 per cent of Japan’s oil supply.

Infrastructure

Kishida also spoke of the people-to-people ties between the two countries which have resulted in key partnerships for an array of infrastructure projects. Kishida said, “The UAE has the largest number, in the Middle East and Africa, of Japanese expatriates (approximately 4,500) and Japanese companies (approximately 340). The UAE’s role and importance as a hub of, and gateway to, the region is growing every year. At the same time, cooperation between Tokyo and tAbu Dhabi has expanded far beyond traditional areas such as energy and economy, to include a wide range of fields such as climate change, education, science and technology, outer space, and defense. Our cooperation is being broadened and deepened not only in the Middle East region but also in Africa, and in the international arena.”

Prior to his arrival, the Japanese leader announced that he plans to propose the initiative “Global Green Energy Hub” during his visit. “This initiative intends to combine the respective strengths of our two countries: the geographical advantages, low-cost renewable energy resources and strong investment capacities of the UAE and the Middle East on one hand; and the cutting-edge decarbonisation technologies of Japan on the other.”

“By fully utilising these strengths of both countries, we can together turn the Middle East into a global hub in the supply chain of the next-generation fuels and mineral resources. Under this initiative, both countries will be well placed to collaborate in the related fields of hydrogen and ammonia production and utilisation as well as carbon recycling by a multilayered approach.”

Space

Kishida underscored the support that Japan has provided to the UAE as it has worked to set up a domestic space industry. Kishida said, “The launch of the UAE’s first domestically-manufactured satellite KhalifaSat in 2018 and the Mars Exploration Hope Probe in 2020 were both carried out by Japanese H2-A rockets. The launch of the UAE’s lunar probe Rashid Rover this April, operated in collaboration with Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC) and Japanese space startup company, ispace, was a significant step forward as the world’s first attempt by a private company to land a moon-surface rover. I am confident that future-oriented efforts such as this will lead to a greater success in the near future. We are determined to continue its support for further collaboration in the space field.”

Climate change

The UAE is hosting the COP28 in November this year. Kishida said that Japan hopes to work closely with the UAE towards the success of COP28. He added, “It is extremely important to accelerate innovation, including in the area of decarbonisation, toward and beyond COP28. For this purpose, Japan intends to propose a “Japan-UAE Innovation Partnership.”

“While welcoming the progress in collaboration on decarbonization technologies through the Japan-UAE Coordination Scheme for Advanced Technology (JU-CAT) established in January this year, Japan is willing to establish an enlarged framework for industrial collaboration with the UAE. In particular, Japan will make greater efforts to support an expanded flow of FDI into Japan and semiconductor industry with a view to an increased resilience of global supply chain of semiconductors.”

Tourism

Japan set up its  MENA headquarters for the Japan National Tourism Organization in Dubai in November 2021. As part of its tourism initiative, UAE citizens were exempt from applying for a visa while visiting the country. This has helped increase the number of UAE citizens visiting Japan.

Kishida said he intends to propose a Japan-UAE Innovation Partnership – to accelerate industrial collaboration between the two countries. “In particular, we will make greater efforts to support an expanded flow of FDI [foreign direct investment] into Japan and [the] semiconductor industry, with a view to an increased resilience of global supply chain of semiconductors,” he said.

The Japanese leader said he is optimistic about the strong partnership between the two countries. “Heading for the next 50 years, I am determined to work with the President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to make this potential a reality. I am looking forward to discussing ways to further strengthen our bilateral relationship with His Highness the President and the people of the UAE during my upcoming visit.”

Kishida will head to Doha, Qatar after concluding his UAE visit.