Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stressed on Sunday that any military confrontation in the region would have major repercussions on world peace, expressing his appreciation to Saudi Arabia for showing great restraint in recent months.
Abe was in Saudi Arabia on Sunday where he held talks with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz in Riyadh and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, in al-Ula.
A Japanese foreign ministry spokesman said Abe announced that Tokyo would be sending a self-defense force to the Middle East. Its role will be limited to gathering information to ensure safety of marine navigation in the region.
Speaking at a press conference in Riyadh on Sunday, he added that the PM also voiced his country’s readiness to support Saudi Arabia as it prepares to host the G20 summit later this year. Japan had hosted the 2019 summit.
Abe expressed his great appreciation for the reform efforts Crown Prince Mohammed has been exerting.
Such reforms are not only important to the Kingdom, but the region and whole world, he stressed.
Discussions between the Crown Prince and Abe focused on bilateral relations and the latest regional developments, most notably recent tensions in the Middle East.
They stressed the need to de-escalate tensions and avoid any future tensions.
Tokyo will continue to exert its efforts to defuse tension and restore stability in the Middle East, hoping that it will preserve its close relations with Riyadh, said the spokesman.
The Japanese delegation visiting the Kingdom held four ministerial meetings with Saudi officials. Discussions focused on cooperation in 69 fields. Crown Prince Mohammed and Abe voiced their commitment to maintaining cooperation between their countries. Investments between Saudi Arabia and Japan are estimated at around 30 billion dollars.
Abe had arrived in the Kingdom on Saturday as part of a five-day tour of the region. He will also visit the United Arab Emirates and Oman, where a new ruler was sworn in on Saturday following the death of modern day Oman's founding father Sultan Qaboos.
