By Rachna Uppal
ABU DHABI (Reuters) -Japan and the United Arab Emirates agreed to cooperate on technology and climate change during Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit, his second stop in the region focused on securing energy supplies and promoting green technology.
Kishida met with Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on Monday, during which they agreed to a new Japan-UAE innovation partnership, Japan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
The partnership would include a new scheme to accelerate energy security, as well as a framework for the UAE to cooperate with and invest in Japan on chip and battery technology, according to the statement issued late on Monday.
The two leaders also adopted a joint statement on climate action, which said that both remain committed to the goal of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and acknowledged “the role of clean hydrogen and derivatives including ammonia in accelerating the energy transiion”.
State news agency WAM also said the two leaders discussed a comprehensive strategic partnership between the UAE and Japan. They signed several agreements covering different sectors, WAM added.
Kishida is expected to attend a UAE-Japan business forum later before travelling to major gas-producer Qatar on Tuesday, officials said.
Japan is actively developing greener and renewable energy technologies and aims to be carbon neutral by 2050. Kishida will also try to promote Japanese know-how as energy-producing countries have pledged to achieve a net zero transition, especially ahead of the COP28 climate summit to be held in Dubai in November.
His UAE visit follows a stop in Saudi Arabia on Sunday in which Riyadh said it remained committed to securing oil supplies for Japan and would continue cooperating with Tokyo on clean hydrogen, ammonia and recycled carbon fuels.
Kishida and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, agreed to launch “Manar” initiatve, which will help countries around the world achieve their net zero transitions, Saudi state news agency SPA reported on Monday.