During his visit to Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, Prime Minister Kishida aims to ensure stable energy supplies for resource-poor Japan.
According to Kyodo news agency, on July 16, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida left for the Middle East on a four-day visit with stops in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar to promote relations with countries in this energy-rich region.
In his first visit to the Middle East since taking office in October 2021, Prime Minister Kishida aims to secure stable energy supplies for resource-poor Japan and promote the country's contribution to efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are trying to reduce their dependence on oil revenue and seek to diversify their economies , as oil prices may fall in the future amid a global push to decarbonize.
To support environmentally friendly initiatives and expand business opportunities for Japanese companies, many Japanese business leaders accompanied Mr. Kishida on this visit, Japanese government officials said.
Prime Minister Kishida is expected to hold bilateral meetings with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
Japan and Saudi Arabia are expected to agree to strengthen cooperation in the field of energy technology, according to government sources.
Prime Minister Kishida plans to propose holding regular foreign ministerial-level discussions between Japan and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
During the visit, Japan and the UAE are expected to issue a joint statement on environmental protection as Abu Dhabi prepares to host the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in November.
In addition, Prime Minister Kishida is expected to call on Qatar to continue to stably supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Japan.
Qatar is currently one of the world's largest LNG exporters./.
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