Arab News Japan

TOKYO: The Council of Arab Ambassadors in Japan hosted a lunch for Japanese Foreign Minister KAMIKAWA Yoko on Wednesday with security and energy at the top of the topics discussed.

At the outset, Ambassador Waleed Ali Siam, Representative of the Permanent General Mission of Palestine and Dean of the Council of Arab Ambassadors in Japan, expressed his appreciation and gratitude for Japan’s role and assistance in its relations with the Arab world.

He said it was significant that the luncheon was held just 20 days after Minister Kamikawa’s inauguration. He also expressed his hope to further develop Japan-Arab relations in a variety of fields.

Minister Kamikawa said that while the international community is at a historical turning point and the Middle East itself is also facing dynamic changes, Japan fully stands by the Arab world.

Kamikawa stated that she would like to promote cooperation with the Arab world under the “three pillars” that she outlined in a speech earlier this week. These are: collaboration toward prosperity; initiative toward consolidation of peace; and maintaining and strengthening the free and open international order based on the rule of law.

Kamikawa referred to future cooperation in the fields of energy security, the vision to make the Middle East region become a global supply hub for clean energy and critical minerals, as well as the entry of Japanese companies into the Arab market. 

She expressed Japan’s intention to continue contributing to the peace and stability of the region, including addressing the Palestinian issue.

Further discussions covered future cooperation between Japan and Arab countries, including the promotion of economic relations such as startups and cooperation in the field of climate change. There were also discussions on the regional situation, including peace in the Middle East and refugee issues. 

Many participants expressed their appreciation for Japan’s longstanding assistance for the Arab world, while Jordan’s Ambassador, the only female ambassador at the luncheon, said she welcomed the inauguration of a female Foreign Minister of Japan.

Twenty Ambassadors and heads of missions of the Council participated in the luncheon: Palestine, Morocco, Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait, Tunisia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, UAE, Mauritania, Iraq, Egypt, Algeria, Yemen, Djibouti, Syria, Sudan, Libya and Qatar.