Kuromiya Takayoshi, Director of the Second Middle East Division, Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the visit of Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister of Japan, to the UAE would focus on strengthening the cooperation between the two countries in all areas, including clean energy and combatting climate change, as well as collaboration in advanced technologies, such as space, healthcare and start-ups.

In his statement to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Takayoshi expressed Japan's keenness to cooperate with the UAE to ensure stable energy supplies and prices, as Japan imports around 40 percent of its total oil needs from the UAE, while the UAE is the first Arab country to announce a plan to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and currently hosts COP28.

Takayoshi then lauded the UAE as an economic centre in the Middle East, with resources focussed on knowledge-based industries and remote learning, and highlighted its growing presence on the international stage by holding a non-permanent seat on the Security Council, affirming that Japan is committed to its ongoing cooperation with the UAE in international forums.

Takayoshi stressed that the relations between the UAE and Japan are getting stronger, most notably their cooperation in aviation and space, expressing Japan's anticipation for the visit, which will involve several meetings to enhance their cooperation in trade, tourism and agriculture.

Regarding Japan's vision for COP28, he explained that the visit would address climate change issues, stressing Japan's determination to work with the UAE to ensure the success of the conference.

Takayoshi stated that the visit of Kishida to the Gulf region aims, in general, to enhance Japan’s economic cooperation and advance its diplomatic relations with the region’s countries.

He also affirmed the Japanese government's keenness to increase the number of foreign students studying in Japan and promote exchanges in education and scientific research.