RIYADH — Japanese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Tsukasa Uemura has stressed the determination of his country to build further relations with the Kingdom, describing the visit of Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy prime minister and minister of defense, to Japan as an encouraging momentum to bilateral relations between the two countries, pointing out that the Vision 2030 enhances the Kingdom's bright status in the world.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency, the Japanese ambassador said: "Our bilateral relations in the last century mainly developed along with oil trade and business transactions. We import more than 1 million B/D of oil from Saudi Arabia, the single largest supplier of oil for Japan. Quite a number of joint projects and investment projects are going on as well. At the same time, we have tried to diversify our relations into the strategic partnership. Periodical political dialogues and cooperation for combating piracy offshore Somalia are notable examples of such efforts. Thus, we are determined to build much more amicable and broader relations with Saudi Arabia as indispensable partners to each other."

In 2017, Prime Minister Abe held a summit meeting with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman. At the meeting, both sides decided “Saudi-Japan Vision 2030”, which is a compilation of the basic directions for bilateral cooperation and the specific projects therein. It was the outcome of discussion under the framework of the intergovernmental dialogue called “Joint Group for Saudi-Japan Vision 2030,” the formulation of which was decided on by Prince Muhammad and Prime Minister Abe in September 2016.

On June 17, 2019, the 3rd Joint Group Meeting for Saudi-Japan Vision 2030 (SVJ2030) was held in Tokyo. The Japanese side was headed by Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshige Seko and Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Kenji Yamada. The Saudi side was headed by Minister of Economy and Planning Mohammad Mazyed Mohammad Al-Tuwaijiri and Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid Al-Falih.

Sixty-four ministries and organizations from both sides participated in the Joint Group Meeting. Based on the discussions of the Joint Group Meeting, the latest update of wide range of progress was approved as “Saudi Japan Vision 2030 2.0” by the ministers of the Saudi Arabia and Japan.

In addition, the ministers adopted a booklet to publish the essence of “Saudi-Japan Vision 2030 2.0”.

The Crown Prince’s official visit to Japan this time is the second since his last visit in August 2016 .

Since Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman visited Japan in March 2017 and the both countries signed “Japan-Saudi Arabia Vision 2030”, the bilateral relations between Japan and Saudi Arabia have been developed in many fields. Japan has continued support for the Saudi reforms led by the Crown Prince, and both of public and private sectors in Japan have continued and will continue to thoroughly promote the Vision projects under unwavering strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia.

The Crown Prince’s current visit to Japan must encourage the momentum of the current bilateral relations as well as promote cooperation with Saudi Arabia, the ambassador said.

Japan, as the G20 presidency, hosts the G20 Osaka Summit on June 28 and 29, 2019. G20 Osaka Summit, together with developed countries and emerging countries, addresses the potential risks of global economy and how to utilize power of technological innovations for human welfare.

Saudi Arabia is taking over the chair country of next year's G20 and is expected to further promote what will be accomplished in Osaka. "Personally, I believe that Saudi Arabia can contribute a lot to global trade and energy issues. As a leader of free trade and a forerunner of energy transition from oil dependence to the new form of energy mix including renewable energy, Saudi Arabia can show the way for the bright future, being envisioned under 'Saudi Vision 2030 and related programs, to the world in G20 in 2020," Ambassador Uemura said. — SPA