RIYADH: Japanese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Fumio Iwai and Saudi Sports Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal met virtually to discuss ways to develop bilateral relations in sports.

“I had the pleasure of meeting His Excellency Japanese Ambassador Fumio Iwai, and we discussed ways for our two countries to cooperate on sports,” tweeted Prince Abdul Aziz.

The new Japanese envoy has a long history of service in the Middle East and is looking forward to cooperating with Saudi Arabia.

After visits to Japan by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in September 2016 and King Salman in March 2017, the “Japan-KSA Vision 2030” was launched as a way of strengthening ties between the two countries.

Prince Abdul Aziz, who is also chairman of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee, wished Japan a successful hosting of the Olympics this year.

Japan will be hosting the 2020 Summer Olympics, branded as Tokyo 2020, from July 23 to Aug. 8, 2021.

Originally scheduled to take place from July 24 to Aug. 9, 2020, the event was postponed in March 2020 as a result of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

A limited number of spectators will be allowed at venues in Fukushima, Miyagi, Shizuoka, Ibaraki and Hokkaido.

Saudi Arabia has made history by sending the largest-ever delegation of participants in the history of the Olympics.

Prince Abdul Aziz celebrated this historic occasion with a statement on his Twitter account: “With the blessing of God … the largest-ever mission of Saudi Arabia in the history of the Olympics will be present for Tokyo 2020.”

The Saudi team will participate in nine games: Football, karate, weightlifting, archery, rowing, swimming, athletics, judo and table tennis.

Saudi Arabia participated for the first time in the Olympics in Munich, Germany in 1972.