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Energy and Culture Highlight Cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Japan | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Japanese Emperor Akihito receives Saudi deputy crown prince in Tokyo (SPA)


Tokyo-Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe oversaw on Thursday the signing of seven memoranda of understanding in several fields, mainly energy, economy, industry and culture.

Prior to the official signing ceremony that was held in Tokyo, a bilateral meeting was held during which the top officials discussed opportunities to strengthen cooperation between the Kingdom and Japan in various fields, as well as regional and international developments of common concern.

The Japanese premier expressed his country’s interest in Saudi Vision 2030 and the desire to discuss areas of partnership in this regard, expressing his country’s appreciation for the Kingdom’s leading role in establishing security and stability in the Middle East.

During the ceremony, seven memoranda of understanding were signed, including a memorandum of cooperation for enhancing cultural exchange between the Saudi ministry of culture and information and the Japanese foreign ministry; a memorandum of cooperation to protect copyright between the ministry of commerce and investment and Japanese ministry of economy, trade and industry; a memorandum of cooperation in the field of small and medium enterprises and enhancing their competitive ability in global markets between the ministry of commerce and investment and the Japanese ministry of economy, trade and industry; as well as a memorandum of cooperation in a number of areas of energy between the ministry of energy, industry and mineral resources and Japanese ministry of economy, trade and industry.

The official ceremony also saw the signing of a memorandum for investment cooperation in the industrial field between the ministry of energy, industry and mineral resources and the Japanese ministry of economy, trade and industry and a memorandum of cooperation in international development, investment and the exchange of information between the Saudi Fund for Development and the Japanese Agency for International Cooperation. A memorandum of understanding for cooperation in news was signed between the Saudi Press Agency and the Japanese Kyodo News Agency.

Earlier on Thursday, Emperor Akihito received the deputy crown prince at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.

The Emperor welcomed the deputy crown prince on his current visit to Japan, while Prince Mohammed expressed his thanks to the Japanese Emperor, Government and people for the warm welcome and hospitality.

He also conveyed the greetings and appreciation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz to the emperor. The meeting saw talks on relations between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Saudi Ambassador to Japan Ahmed Al-Barrak stressed the importance of the deputy crown prince’s visit in consolidating ties between the two countries.

In comments to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Al-Barrak said the visit was of paramount importance, due to the two countries’ excellent relations and converging views on many regional and international issues.

The ambassador added that the visit contributed to closer cooperation between the two countries, based on mutual respect to promote true partnership, as outlined by the summit meetings between the leaders of the two countries, since the establishment of mutual diplomatic relations more than 60 years ago.

He pointed out that the level of these relations, in the era of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, have grown at all levels, especially after his visit to Japan, in 2014, when he was crown prince.