Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Deputy Ruler and UAE Minister of Finance and Industry, yesterday received a Japanese delegation, led by Fusae Ohta, governor of Osaka, and reviewed with it bilateral ties, particularly cooperation in economic, trade and cultural sectors.

Welcoming the delegation, Sheikh Hamdan said that he hoped the delegation's visit would contribute to further strengthening trade between Osaka and Dubai following the Emirates airline operating a new route between Japan and the UAE.

For her part, the Osaka governor said she was impressed by the UAE's progress, particularly in the development of infrastructure, the beauty of Dubai roads and establishment of parks.

Meanwhile, Dubai civic officials yesterday signed a twin cities agreement with the Japanese city of Osaka.

The agreement was signed at Dubai Municipality by Qasim Sultan, Director General of Dubai Municipality, and Fusae Ohta, who represented the Osaka Prefecture.

Welcoming the agreement, Sultan said it would pave the way for boosting the existing friendly ties between the two cities.

Sultan noted that cooperation between the two cities would reach further expand as the agreement would help exchange visits of experts and encourage activities that would help introduce cultures of the two countries to their respective peoples.

"It is our earnest hope that this agreement would provide a platform for building up on the existing warm relations between Dubai and Osaka. This is being made possible due to the common economic and commercial features of the United Arab Emirates and Japan, and the launching of a direct service by Emirates airline between the two cities," said Sultan.

"Dubai could prove to be an ideal partner for Osaka and we must make our best efforts to continue this friendship on the lines of the Japanese saying: continuation is strength," said Ohta.br>
She said Dubai was a fantastic destination for international tourists and hoped that the agreement would be welcomed by the 8.5 million people of Osaka.

The twin cities agreement provides for cooperation between Dubai and Osaka in the fields of tourism, commerce, economy and technology by holding commercial exhibitions for the various products and participating in the exhibitions held in the two cities, and encouragement of commercial and industrial investment.

It also seeks to enhance exchange of visits between delegates from the two cities, exchange of experts and technical consultancy, participation in conferences, meetings and scientific seminars organised by the two cities.

According to the agreement, activities that would help introduce the cultures of the two countries and holding of festivals and arts exhibitions will be encouraged.

The two cities will also look into the possibility of forming a joint committee, which shall prepare programmes for the work proposed to be implemented in this respect.

Dubai Municipality has already signed twin cities agreements with nearly 10 cities around the world, including the Turkish capital Istanbul, the Australian city of Gold Coast, the Swiss city of Geneva, the U.S. city of Detroit, the Lebanese capital Beirut, the Syrian city of Damascus, the Palestinian city of Jerusalem and the Chinese cities of Shanghai and Ghuang Zhou.