Japan and Saudi Arabia agreed on Tuesday to establish a strategic partnership council aimed at strengthening bilateral relations across various sectors, including construction, power transmission, space, health, and agriculture. The agreement was reached during a video teleconference between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as announced by Japan’s Foreign Ministry.
The virtual meeting occurred after Crown Prince bin Salman postponed his visit to Tokyo due to the health of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz.
Prime Minister Kishida expressed gratitude for Saudi Arabia’s stable supply of crude oil to Japan and emphasized Riyadh’s crucial role in stabilizing the global oil market. He highlighted the importance of further production increases and cooperation on establishing a global supply chain for clean energy, such as hydrogen and ammonia. This initiative aligns with the “Lighthouse Initiative” agreed upon by both countries in July last year.
Crown Prince bin Salman reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to providing a stable oil supply to Japan and expressed interest in collaborating on clean energy and other areas.
The leaders also discussed regional developments and agreed to work closely towards achieving peace and stability in the Middle East. Kishida outlined Japan’s diplomatic efforts concerning the situation in Gaza and expressed hope for direct Saudi investment in Japan across various fields, including construction, power transmission, hydrogen utilization, digital technology, ICT, space, health, medicine, food, and agriculture.
Kishida also stressed the importance of concluding the Japan-GCC Free Trade Agreement (FTA) promptly, noting that negotiations are set to resume soon. Crown Prince bin Salman welcomed the resumption of the FTA negotiations and expressed eagerness to cooperate with Japan in multiple areas beyond energy.
The Japanese prime minister concluded by extending his sincere wishes for the quick recovery of King Salman.–News Desk