Japan and the UAE maintain excellent relations: Ken Okaniwa

Japan stands out as a unique destination due to its harmonious blend of tradition, innovation, natural beauty, and cultural experiences, its top diplomat says.

Ken Okaniwa, Ambassador of Japan to the UAE, said Japanese hospitality ‘Omotenashi’ make all visitors feel welcomed and cared for. Japan is also renowned for its low crime rates, clean streets, and impeccable public facilities.

“I would recommend visitors to experience public transportation in Japan, which is highly convenient and comfortable (except during rushhour!). If you did not know, the Dubai Metro is a Japanese project operated by a consortium including Japanese companies, which may give you an idea of what I am talking about,” Okaniwa told Khaleej Times during an interview.

Perhaps reflecting the mutual interest in each other, the two-way exchange between both countries has grown significantly in recent years, the ambassador said.

“For UAE passport holders, the 2022 visa exemption is giving a boost to this trend. I hope the exchanges will further promote the friendship between the two peoples,” he said.

Excellent relations

“It is a great honour and privilege to be posted as the Ambassador of Japan to the UAE. Since my arrival at the end of October, I am fascinated by the rapid pace of progress and heartened by the friendliness of the people,” the ambassador said.

Japan and the UAE have consistently maintained excellent relations since before the latter’s foundation regardless of ups and downs in the international situation. The relationship that initially focused on oil development has since evolved into many other areas.

“Our relations are supported by a strong bond of friendship between our two peoples. The number of visitors to the respective country is on the increase in recent years. I hope to build upon such achievements to further promote our ties,” he said.

Economic relations

Japan’s relations with the UAE began before its foundation in 1971 mainly through our involvement in the oil sector. From those early years, Japan played an important role in the exploration and commercial production of oil in the country. In parallel, Japan has supported capacity development of Emirate engineers to enable the UAE to operate and maintain oil-related infrastructure.

The UAE has been vital in ensuring Japan’s energy security, with approximately 41 per cent of Japan’s crude oil imports coming from the UAE in 2023. Conversely, Japan is the largest destination of UAE oil exports, contributing significantly to government revenues and trade balance.

Looking to the future, there is a mega-project underway in Ruwais, in which a major Japanese company is an investment partner, to produce LNG and low- carbon ammonia. The completion of this project will lead to commercial production of low-carbon ammonia for export including to Japan, thereby contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions.

“In recent years, both of our countries are encouraging startups as a way of promoting economic growth and innovation. During the last few weeks, I have attended several meetings of Japanese startups with the Emirati government/business people. Japan is supporting such collaboration though JU-CAT (Japan-UAE Coordination Scheme for Advanced Technology) especially to promote decarbonisation efforts by both countries. Opportunities such as Gitex is attracting the participation of Japanese startups leading to transformative solutions for the UAE,” the ambassador said.

At the G-to-G level, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Initiative (CSPI) between Japan and the UAE, established in 2022 is a significant milestone in the bilateral relations. This initiative established a framework for continuous discussion between high-level officials on a wide range of topics, namely, international affairs, defense, economy, environment, agriculture, culture, education, and science and technology.

“Just recently, Japan and UAE convened the first officials meeting to negotiate the Economic Partnership Agreement. It is my hope that the agreement will be reached not so far in the future, further strengthening economic ties between our two countries,” the ambassador said.

Space cooperation

In recent years, Okaniwa said momentum of Japan-UAE cooperation in space has been building up.

“The UAE’s ambitious space exploration programmes align with Japan’s expertise in advanced technology. Japan has supported launching of the UAE’s Hope Probe to Mars and and plans to collaborate in the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt through the use of Japan’s H3 rocket.”

In 2023, Japan and UAE signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in the space sector, reaffirming our commitment to space cooperation, with special focus on industry collaboration. Based on this memorandum, in December the Japan-UAE Space Workshop will be held with more than 25 Japanese companies participating in this event. I am sure we will see more collaboration in space between our two countries in the coming years.

Education Top priority

As a country with scarce natural resources, Japan has always attached high priority to educating its people. Responding to the requests from the UAE, our cooperation in education has grown significantly over the years, according to the ambassador.

The Japanese School in Abu Dhabi is the only Japanese school in the world that accepts non-Japanese citizens, providing an environment where Emirati and Japanese children study together in the Japanese language. The school started to welcome Emirati students in 2006, following a strong request of the President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. After graduating from Japanese junior high school in Abu Dhabi, Emirati children often continue their study in Japan.

— muzaffarrizvi@khaleejtimes.com