Abu Dhabi: The UAE and Japan have agreed to strengthen their relations under a framework named the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Initiative (CSPI) during a meeting between His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Both leaders met in the capital on Monday during Abe’s official visit to the UAE as part of his Middle East tour.

“Building upon the shared successful legacy of the long-standing bilateral ties, both sides committed to deepening and strengthening their strategic partnership towards a future shared between the two countries in a comprehensive manner. In this context, both sides affirmed their commitment to cooperating towards prosperity and stability and to formulating a joint vision and a joint cooperation strategy towards the next occasion of leaders’ meeting, under a framework named CSPI,” said a joint statement issued by both parties after the high-level meeting.

Both sides confirmed they will assign a minister of state from the UAE and state minister for foreign affairs and senior officials from relevant ministries of Japan to follow up on the CSPI.

The bilateral cooperation will be strengthened in 12 areas and further cooperation will be discussed under CSPI, according to the joint statement.

During an official reception at the Presidential Palace, regional and international issues and ways to enhance strategic ties were also discussed in the meeting with Japanese Prime Minister, Shaikh Mohamad tweeted.

Upon Abe’s arrival at the Presidential Palace, he was accorded an official reception ceremony in which the Japanese national anthem was played, and 21 cannon shots were fired in salute of the guest, WAM reported.

Lieutenant-General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior; Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs; Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Dr Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; and a number of shaikhs, ministers and senior officials were also present to receive Abe.

As per the joint statement both nations will strengthen cooperation in 12 areas such as political cooperation; economy (business, trade and investment); culture, expo and Olympics; education, advanced science and technology; environment , energy and water; defence; aviation; consular issue; security; the medical field; agriculture and food security; and women empowerment.

The fact that this is Abe’s third visit to the UAE in a few years highlights the importance accorded by Japan to this relationship, said Norio Maruyama, press secretary at Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs at a press conference at Emirates Palace.

“He had visited the UAE in 2007 and 2013,” Maruyama said.

Both sides will reinforce the cooperation in the fields of advanced technology, cyber security, robotics, the Internet of Things (IOT), data analysis, Artificial Intelligence (AI), biotechnology, nanotechnology and space activities.

A Japanese rocket will launch KhalifaSat, the first satellite to be fully built by Emirati engineers, this year as scheduled, Maruyama said.

UAE-Japan ties precede establishment of the UAE

Abu Dhabi: UAE-Japan relations started even before the UAE was formally established as a nation.

“This began with the participation of the Abu Dhabi Pavilion at the Osaka Expo [in Japan] in 1970. Fifty years later, the UAE will host the Dubai Expo 2020,” a joint statement issued by both parties revealed on Monday.

Japan and the UAE will share the year 2020 as both sides welcome the cooperation between Dubai Expo 2020 and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympic games. The Tokyo-Dubai 2020 partnership is the first of its kind and will create great value for both countries and humanity, the statement said.

Both countries will also promote people-to—people exchanges and cultural exchanges in the fields of art, architecture, design, music, and pop culture, said Norio Maruyama, press secretary at Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Japan has appreciated the UAE’s visa-on-arrival procedures for Japanese citizens to enter the UAE. Likewise, the UAE also welcomed Japan’s decision to implement pre-registration for Emiratis holding ordinary passports to enter Japan.

Both sides will work together to ease such procedures, the joint statement said.

The UAE–Japan joint statement says bilateral cooperation will be strengthened in 12 areas:

1. Political cooperation

2. Economy (Business, Trade and Investment)

3. Culture, Expo and Olympics

4. Education, Advanced Science and Technology

5. Environment, Energy and Water

6. Defence

7. Aviation

8. Consular issue

9. Security

10. Medical

11. Agriculture and food security

12. Women empowerment.

By Binsal Abdul Kader, Senior Reporter