As international trade faces mounting disruptions, Japan's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Yasunari Morino, revealed that Riyadh and Tokyo are engaged in intensive consultations aimed at strengthening the resilience of energy and critical materials supply chains against current regional tensions. He stressed that energy security is no longer merely a conventional issue, but has become a strategic priority requiring greater cooperation and closer coordination.
In an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Morino said Japan highly appreciates Saudi Arabia's leading role in promoting de-escalation across the region and advancing diplomatic solutions to conflicts, as well as its pivotal role in ensuring the stability of the global oil market. He reaffirmed Tokyo's commitment to expanding bilateral ties across various sectors, moving beyond the traditional scope of oil trade and petrochemicals toward broader opportunities in technology and investment.
The Saudi-Japanese Business Council held a meeting in Riyadh several days ago at the Federation of Saudi Chambers to discuss ways to enhance business cooperation between the two countries and review the current business environment.
Morino said the long-standing economic relationship between Saudi Arabia and Japan is a source of shared pride, noting that Saudi crude oil supplies are critically important to Japan, while Japanese investments in the Kingdom's petrochemical sector are substantial.
"As Saudi Arabia embarks on ambitious structural reforms to diversify its economy, Japan is exploring new opportunities to expand our economic relationship in line with the Japan-Saudi Vision 2030 launched in 2017, which complements Saudi Vision 2030," he said.
The ambassador added that bilateral cooperation holds significant promise in advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, healthcare, entertainment, sports, and food. He noted that the strategic importance of the relationship was further strengthened after the two governments agreed in February to establish the Strategic Partnership Council, co-chaired by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the Prime Minister of Japan.
He also expressed Japan's strong interest in contributing to the success of Riyadh Expo 2030, particularly as Japan handed over the hosting torch of the global event to the Kingdom.
Trade by the Data
Morino highlighted official data reflecting the depth of trade ties between the two countries.
Trade in December 2025: Saudi exports to Japan reached SAR22.7 billion ($6 billion), accounting for 11.7 percent of the Kingdom's total exports that month. The exports were mainly mineral fuels and organic chemicals. Saudi imports from Japan totaled SAR3.6 billion ($960 million), representing 4.3 percent of total imports, led by vehicles and parts, followed by machinery and mechanical equipment.
Full-year 2025 exports: Saudi exports to Japan totaled SAR133.3 billion ($35.5 billion), led by mineral fuels and oils worth SAR129.8 billion ($34.6 billion), followed by organic chemicals valued at SAR1.2 billion ($320 million), and copper and copper products worth SAR936.1 million ($249.6 million).
Annual imports from Japan: Saudi Arabia imported goods worth SAR38.2 billion ($10.1 billion) from Japan in 2025. Vehicles and parts ranked first at SAR26.6 billion ($7 billion), followed by boilers, machinery, and mechanical equipment at SAR3.9 billion ($1 billion), and electrical equipment at SAR1.8 billion.
Non-oil exports and foreign direct investment
On the growth of non-oil trade, Morino said Saudi non-oil exports to Japan reached SAR47.7 million ($12.7 million) in April 2026. The main exports included base metals and articles thereof worth SAR35.4 million ($9.4 million), plastics and rubber worth SAR5.8 million ($1.5 million), and chemical products worth SAR4.4 million ($1.1 million).
On investment, Morino said Japan's foreign direct investment stock in Saudi Arabia declined slightly to SAR23.1 billion ($6.1 billion) at the end of 2024, compared with SAR23.6 billion ($6.2 billion) in 2023. He said joint investments are expected to expand in the future, supported by new initiatives and agreements between the two countries.
