Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, welcomed Japan's position on sending the Maritime Self-Defence Forces to the Middle East with the aim of securing its ships and protecting its oil supplies, reported the Emirates News Agency (WAM).

In talks held with Japan’s Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, Sheikh Mohammed said that this position is “in line with that of the UAE, which supports every step that contributes to the safety and freedom of navigation in the region.”

According the WAM, the two leaders agreed Japan and the UAE “share a system of civilized values that call for tolerance, coexistence and dialogue, and rejects extremism, terrorism, hatred and racism, no matter the source.”

Sheikh Mohamed stated that the Arab Gulf and Middle East regions go through complex situations that need to be dealt with “wisely, to maintain security and stability in a region of strategic importance to global peace and security.”

WAM reported that Sheikh Mohamed said that interference by “certain regional powers in the internal affairs of Arab countries is one of the most important and dangerous sources of tension, conflict, and instability in the region.”

He also affirmed that the UAE joining the "International Alliance for the Safety and Protection of Maritime Navigation and Ensuring the Safety of Maritime Corridors" proves its keenness to contribute to any international or regional effort and deter threats to international navigation and global energy supplies.

During their meeting, held at the Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi, both sides discussed the bilateral relations between the UAE and Japan and ways of supporting and enhancing them.

Sheikh Mohamed stressed that the relations between the UAE and Japan are rooted and deep and have witnessed progress in the areas of trade, energy, investment, technology, space and education during the past decades.

WAM