(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM))
TOKYO, 24th April, (WAM) -- H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, met with Fumio Kishida, Japan's Minister for Foreign Affairs, in Tokyo today.
During the meeting, both sides discussed the strategic relations between the two countries and the means to strengthen and develop them in economic, commercial, investment and tourism fields, among others.
H.H. Sheikh Abdullah stressed the strong relations between the UAE and Japan, praising the level of bilateral relations connecting the two friendly countries and people.
Kishida welcomed H.H. Sheikh Abdullah to Japan, emphasising the depth of the strategic relations between the two countries.
H.H. Sheikh Abdullah and Kishida signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning the political deliberations between the UAE and Japan.
Two official MoUs were exchanged, one of them regarding visa exemptions for diplomatic and special official passport holders from both the countries, while the other was for facilitating simple entry procedures into the Japanese territory for the UAE citizens, who hold regular passports with the pre-registration system. The procedures will start from 1st July, 2017. Ordinary Japanese passports are exempted from entry visa to the country following the cabinet decision in 2001.
Sheikh Abdullah held a joint press conference with the Japanese Minister.
His Highness thanked the Japanese minister for hosting him today and for the fruitful discussions on bilateral co-operation between the two countries, as well as international issues of common interest.
His Highness stressed that Japan has been a strategic partner of the UAE since its foundation in 1971 and the start of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
"This relationship differs from a relationship in the field of gas and oil, as a greater and wider relationship, for during the first nine months of 2016 our non-oil trade reached US$8 billion while Japanese tourism reached 86,000 Japanese visitors, along with the presence of 4,000 Japanese residents in the UAE," he said.
Sheikh Abdullah today expressed his happiness at meeting a group of Emirati students studying in Japan. "I was very happy with their level of academic achievements and their positive impression of this country," he added.
His Highness further added, "We look forward to listening more about the Osaka file at Expo 2025, highlighting that the UAE is very happy to host Expo 2020. We believe that this opportunity is appropriate and important for us, to exchange our expertise and learn about the Osaka file and develop our knowledge about this file."
His Highness stated, "The UAE completely supports Japan against North Korea's test firing of ballistic missiles and its threat to international security and peace, and we support all the defence measures taken by Japan."
At the end of his speech, His Highness thanked the government and people of Japan, adding, "I thank our historic partners who spent, and continue to spend, significant efforts to develop this relationship between the two countries."
During the press conference, Fumio Kishida clarified during that the meeting with Sheikh Abdullah included exchanging visions and points of view regarding a group of cases of common interest, whose foundation was strengthening the strategic partnership between both countries in all areas.
The meeting was also attended by Khalid Omran Al Ameri, UAE Ambassador to Japan.
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