TOKYO: The United Arab Emirates celebrated its 52nd Union Day at the Okura Hotel in Tokyo on Tuesday in a reception hosted by Ambassador Shihab Al Faheem and attended by around 800 guests from the Government, the Parliament, business, academia, diplomatic missions, and the Emirati and Arab communities.

In addition to highlighting the UAE’s successes over 52 years, Ambassador Al Faheem noted that his country will be hosting the COP28 climate conference from November 30 and said that the UAE’s role is “important and pivotal in global efforts aimed at reducing the repercussions of climate change at the regional and international levels.” He added that it is important to push the global system towards implementing pledges and commitments to solve climate change issues and support energy security.

“The UAE affirmed that during its presidency of COP28, it will make the conference focus on performance and implementation, and not just on pledges,” he told his guests. “In line with the vision of the UAE’s wise leadership, the COP28 Presidency seeks for the conference to be a turning point for achieving tangible and substantive progress in global climate action.”

“The UAE is keen to strengthen its commitment to sustainability issues through several initiatives and events organized throughout the year, the most prominent of which are supporting cooperation, encouraging innovation, developing educational and cultural programs and engaging community members in achieving sustainability goals in all relevant fields.”

The Ambassador noted that there had been some key exchanges between the UAE and Japan this year, including the visit of Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Japan and the official visit of Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio to the UAE in July. In addition, Sultan Al-Jaber, UAE’s Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Special Envoy of the UAE to Japan, held the First Ministerial Level Meeting of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Initiative with KAMIKAWA Yoko, Japan’s Foreign Minister.

In conclusion, Al Faheem said: “The UAE, under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, continues the process of national development and economic growth towards the future model of the UAE, as an extension of the legacy of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the future model of the UAE.”

Vice Foreign Minister FUKUZAWA Yoichi extended his “warmest congratulations to the government and people of the UAE” on behalf of the Japanese government, adding that “Japan and the UAE have been important partners over many years, dating back to before the establishment of our diplomatic relations in 1972.”

Fukuzawa thanked the UAE for its stable supply of crude oil and noted that the two countries’ cooperation has expanded into a wide range of areas including decarbonization, advanced technology, space, tourism, and culture.

Expressing concern over the situation in Gaza, Fukuzawa said: “Japan seeks to cooperate with the UAE, our strategic partner, on such issues that pertain to regional peace and stability as well as on global challenges.”

He also said he was interested in “Baseball United,” the first professional baseball league in the Middle East, which was established in Dubai last year and noted that former Japanese professional baseball players were drafted to the league. “Unfortunately, I was not selected,” he joked, “but I am very much looking forward to the league tournament that will start next fall.”

UAE food was served to the accompaniment of Arab music and one guest won a return ticket to the UAE on Emirates airline.