UAE Minister Dr Sultan Al Jaber Holds High-Level Meetings in Japan to Boost Bilateral Cooperation
Tokyo, The Gulf Observer: Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO, and the Foreign Minister’s Special Envoy to Japan, paid an official visit to Tokyo from December 16 to 17, 2025, during which he held a series of high-level meetings aimed at strengthening cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and Japan in priority sectors.
During the visit, Dr Al Jaber met senior Japanese government officials and chief executives of leading Japanese private-sector companies, in the presence of UAE Ambassador to Japan Shihab Ahmed Al Fahim. The discussions focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation across key economic, industrial and technological fields.
Dr Al Jaber held talks with Japan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi, with both sides underscoring the depth of the privileged bilateral relations and their shared commitment to further strengthening ties within the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The meeting reviewed the progress of cooperation across various sectors and explored ways to advance collaboration in support of stability and the shared interests of the two friendly nations.
He also met Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ryosei Akazawa, with discussions centring on developments in energy, industry and advanced technology cooperation. The talks covered opportunities for collaboration in conventional and renewable energy, trade, industry, advanced technology and investment.
The two sides reviewed progress in negotiations toward concluding a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), aimed at deepening trade and investment ties and creating a robust platform for partnerships between the business communities and private sectors of both countries. Updates on joint projects were also discussed, alongside ways to expand bilateral cooperation and promote sustainable economic growth.
As part of the visit, Dr Al Jaber met representatives of the Japan Cooperation Centre for the Middle East, reviewing its role in supporting UAE–Japan economic and industrial relations and enhancing public-private sector cooperation. The meeting highlighted joint initiatives designed to expand investment partnerships and facilitate the exchange of expertise in priority sectors.
The visit programme also included meetings with chief executives of major Japanese companies, including Cosmo Energy Group, INPEX, JERA, Mitsui & Co., and Mizuho Financial Group, covering areas such as oil refining, fuels, renewable energy, exploration and production, electricity, liquefied natural gas, hydrogen, ammonia, and diversified trade and investment.
Bilateral trade between the UAE and Japan reached approximately $49.6 billion in 2024, including petroleum products, while non-oil trade amounted to around AED64.1 billion ($17.5 billion), reflecting a 1 percent increase compared to 2023. The UAE is Japan’s leading trading partner in the Arab world and its seventh-largest globally, while Japan ranks as the UAE’s ninth-largest trading partner worldwide.
During the first nine months of 2025, non-oil trade between the two countries reached AED55 billion ($15 billion), marking a year-on-year growth of 21.4 percent, underscoring the continued strengthening of economic ties between the UAE and Japan.
