Amin Abbas

The Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) and the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) hosted a special panel discussion titled “Intercultural Relations Exchange between the UAE and Japan,” to commemorate more than five decades of friendship and diplomatic relations between the United Arab Emirates and Japan.

The panel featured high-level perspectives from Ken Okaniwa, Ambassador of Japan to the UAE; and Shihab Ahmed Al Faheem, UAE Ambassador to Japan. The speakers reflected on the cultural values and shared experiences that have shaped UAE – Japan relations since their establishment more than fifty years ago.

Al Faheem mentioned during the session that the relationship between UAE and Japan goes way back in 1950’s where Toyota’s Land Cruiser cars were used in driving through the desserts for exploration and oil searching.

Another example that Al Faheem mentioned is the participation of the UAE in Expo 1970 Osaka (as Abu Dhabi Pavilion) where it was historical moment when the emirate independently represented itself on the global stage and coming back 55 years later to Expo 2025 Osaka with a remarkable pavilion design and experience to the visitors at the World Expo.

Okaniwa, Ambassador of Japan to the UAE mentioned the deep relationship and friendship between UAE and Japan in terms of cultural aspect where the two countries celebrated the 50^th anniversary of diplomatic relationships in 2022 as well Japan was the country of honor for the 2025 Abu Dhabi Festival  the flagship initiative of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation), which featured musical and artistic performances from both countries, including the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, the Kodo taiko drumming group, and pianist Kyohei Sorita as well Abu Dhabi’s ‘Festival in the Park’ where it hosted wonderful Japanese cultural activities and workshops.

Nickolay Mladenov, Director General of AGDA, emphasized the importance of cultural diplomacy as a form of soft power that bridges nations and builds mutual understanding. He said: “For more than fifty years, the UAE and Japan have built a partnership rooted in mutual respect and shared aspirations, and its future will be defined by the efforts we are investing in dialogue, education, and cultural exchange today. At AGDA, we always embrace cultural diplomacy as a cornerstone of international relations, one that builds trust, deepens cooperation, and lays the foundations for enduring peace. This panel is a testament to our commitment to equipping future leaders with the skills and vision to carry this partnership forward for generations to come.”

Mladenov told Arab News Japan about the importance of the session: “We thought it would be good to take a look at the future of the potential of UAE – Japan relations, but obviously, you need to start the history of the partnership that exists between the two countries, and we thought it would be very important to sort of kick off the conversation with the two ambassadors who are here and in Tokyo, but also to bring in a cultural element to the discussion. That’s why we partnered with ADMAF.”

“There are good partners to the Academy where we do a lot of initiatives with them on cultural diplomacy, because ultimately, it’s not just about trade economy, it’s always including people-to-people contact culture exchanges that are much more. So this we thought this was a good conversation to have today, and I think it’s obvious from the session we just had that there is a tremendous potential to Japanese relationships in the future, from areas as far and as different as climate technologies, new energy, AI, robotics, agriculture to more political issues in securing discussions on securing the safety of supply chains and trade routes to bridges the gap between the global north and the Global South development assistance as a whole vast array of opportunities in the future,” he added.

Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo, Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), and Founder and Artistic Director of the Abu Dhabi Festival said: “As part of the 15th year of the Riwaq Al-Fikr initiative, which empowers innovative thinking by bringing together leading figures in the fields of thought, politics, culture and media, we hosted a panel discussion titled ‘Intercultural Relations Exchange between the UAE and Japan’. The discussion highlighted the deep ties between our two nations, cultivated over more than fifty years of cooperation, understanding, and diplomatic, economic and cultural engagement. It also reflects the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation’s commitment to investing in the next generation, equipping them to face sustainability challenges and ensuring the continuity of cultural and intellectual renaissance through creative thinking.”

She added: “The discussion emphasized the UAE’s pioneering role in enhancing Japan’s presence in the Arab region across multiple fields, while celebrating Japan as the Country of Honour at the 22nd edition of the Abu Dhabi Festival 2025. In partnership with the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, this pivotal discussion sought to expand new horizons for future collaboration, strengthening bilateral relations through knowledge exchange, institutional partnerships and cultural diplomacy.”

The event reinforced the shared values of harmony, peace and innovation that unite the two organizations and underpin UAE–Japan relations. As both countries look ahead to the next fifty years, the panel underscored the importance of cultural exchange, education and collaboration in building a resilient and globally relevant partnership.