LONDON: King Abdullah II of Jordan met with Emperor Naruhito at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Monday, where the two reaffirmed the long-standing ties between their countries that span 70 years.
The king also met with the Japanese defense minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, to discuss the latest regional developments and opportunities for enhancing military cooperation.
The two sides discussed efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East, emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive agreement to end the war in Gaza and ensure the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid.
On Monday, the Jordanian king met with representatives from the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, along with Japanese companies, to discuss ways of enhancing economic and investment cooperation.
He emphasized the need for greater collaboration in technical transformation, agriculture, logistics, food processing, textiles, manufacturing, mining, chemical industries and energy.
He also highlighted Jordan’s strategic location, trade relations and industrial growth as key factors in attracting Japanese companies. The meeting included CEOs and representatives from key businesses in fields such as trade, energy, natural resources, artificial intelligence, textiles, and food processing.
King Abdullah also met with Akihiko Tanaka, president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, to discuss expanding the 40-year partnership between Jordan and JICA.
The meeting focused on current collaborations in water desalination, including the Aqaba-Amman Water Desalination and Conveyance Project, as well as energy and tourism, and explored potential opportunities for growth.
In a separate meeting with Norihiko Ishiguro, chairman and CEO of the Japan External Trade Organization, he discussed the importance of organizing Jordanian-Japanese business forums for the private sector.
He emphasized the importance of fostering cooperation in contract manufacturing and the metals, energy, agriculture, logistics sectors and complementary industries to boost competitiveness for both countries’ products.
He also stressed JETRO’s valuable economic reports and its support for Jordanian companies entering the Japanese market, while also highlighting opportunities for Japanese firms in Jordan.
The Jordanian delegation consisted of key figures including: Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, the king’s chief adviser for religious and cultural affairs and personal envoy; Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh; Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi; Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Zeina Toukan; and Ambassador to Japan Nasser Shraideh.
