Diana Farah

ABU DHABI: Japan and the UAE agreed to cooperate further on technology and renewable energy as Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio arrived in Abu Dhabi on July 17.

According to Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Press Secretary ONO Hikariko, “Japan and UAE have been traditional partners in terms of energy cooperation.”

However, she added, in recent years, the bilateral relations have diversified and deepened to cover a wide range of issues, such as in medical or healthcare sectors.

The two nations are discussing green transformation and are looking to “strike a good balance between the stable energy supply and also decarbonization.”

“More specifically, we are utilizing hydrogen and ammonia for clean transformation, and we would like to join hands in utilizing this kind of new effort will be decarbonization,” Ono said.

During his meeting with UAE ruler Mohamed bin Zayed, Kishida thanked the UAE for its steady supply of crude oil. He also expressed Japan’s intention to promote its new initiative called ‘Global Green Journey.’

The initiative basically combines the strengths of the respective countries. For example, Ono said, the UAE has an advantage in low-cost minerals and energy resources. Meanwhile, Japan has advanced and cutting-edge technology.

Japan and the UAE also discussed agricultural related cooperation, specifically in the utilization of Japanese technology in agriculture.

The two leaders welcomed the signing of the agreement related to transfer of defense equipment and defense related technologies and they agreed on the further enhancement of cooperation in defense related matters.

The agreement was signed in May, which according to Ono is still in its initial stages.

“It is a cooperation between the two defense authorities,” she added.

With regards to the upcoming Osaka, Kansai Expo 2025, Ono said there was a lot to learn from the huge success of the Dubai Expo 2020.

“At the Dubai Expo, Japan’s Pavilion was one of the most popular pavilions. So, I hope that more people from the UAE will visit Japan, as they got interested in Japanese culture.”

Kishida started his Middle East tour on July 16 when he arrived in Jeddah, visited Abu Dhabi on July 17 and will continue his trip to Doha on July 18, before heading back to Tokyo.