Japan, Saudi Arabia to boost tourism

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday that Japan is willing to boost bilateral cooperation in areas such as tourism ahead of the 2025 Osaka World Expo.

During their video teleconference, Kishida was also quoted by his government as telling Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader that Japan would like to work together with his country to promote clean energy sources such as hydrogen and ammonia.

Saudi Arabia has been trying to learn from Japan’s technologies and skills, including animation, as the oil-rich country has been forced to move ahead with economic structural reforms in the face of the global decarbonization scenario.

The talks were held as the prince, who visited Japan in June 2019 to participate in the Group of 20 summit in Osaka, postponed a four-day visit to the country planned from Monday due to the health condition of his 88-year-old father King Salman.

The Japanese government has declined to comment on whether there was a connection between the postponement and the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter accident Sunday.

Relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran have long been marked by rivalry, geopolitical competition and proxy conflicts, but the two countries resumed diplomatic ties last year after mediation by China.

Kishida and the prince also agreed on Tuesday to establish a council to enhance comprehensive bilateral relations, with both leaders serving as chairs. Resource-poor Japan relies heavily on energy imports from the Middle East.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, has been named the venue for Expo 2030, following Osaka in Japan’s western industrial heartland.