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Relations with Countries and Regions of the World

Middle East

Bilateral Relations

Afghanistan Bahrain Iran Iraq Israel Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Oman

Qatar Saudi Arabia Syria Turkey United Arab Emirates Yemen Palestinian Authority

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Speeches and Statements on the Middle East

2011

• Opening Remarks by Chinami Nishimura at the 1st Seminar on the Dialogue for the Future between Japan and the Islamic World (March 7, 2011)

2010

• Statement by Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the start of proximity talks between Israel and Palestinians (May 2010)
• Speech by Mr. Katsuya Okada, Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassadors' Meeting (Januray 4, 2010)

2009

• Speech by Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Masahiko Shibayama at the Symposium on the Arab-Japan Week 2009 (March 31, 2009)
• Statement by Dr. Tatsuo Arima, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for the Middle East, on the Occasion of the Arab League Summit "Strengthening the Relationship between Japan and the Arab League: Forging the Foundations for Peace and Prosperity" (March 30, 2009)

2007

• Statement by Press Secretary on the 19th Arab League Summit (March 30, 2007)
• Address by H.E. Mr. Taro Aso, Minister for Foreign Affairs "Middle East Policy As I See It" (February 2007)

2006

• Statement by Dr. Tatsuo Arima, Japan's Special Envoy for Peace in the Middle East, on the occasion of the Arab League Summit "JAPAN AS A UNIQUE FACILITATOR FOR PEACE AND NATION-BUILDING IN THE MIDDLE EAST" (March 28, 2006)
• Speech by Dr. Kiyohiko Toyama, Vice-Minister (Parliamentary) for Foreign Affairs of Japan at the "MENA-OECD Investment Ministerial Meeting" (February 2006)
• Statement by the Press Secretary on the Difficult Situation over Caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad (February 2006)

2005

• Speech by Mr. Keiichiro FUKUSHIMA, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Japan, at the Conference on "Good Governance for Development in the Arab Countries" (February 2005)

2004

• Statement by Tatsuo ARIMA, Representative of the Government of Japan, and Japan's Special Envoy for Peace in the Middle East, on the occasion of the Arab League Summit "ARAB COUNTRIES AND JAPAN: PARTNERS FOR PEACE, PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY" (May 2004)

2003

• Statement by H.E. Mr. Koichi Haraguchi at the Fifty-eighth session of the General Assembly of the United Nations on agenda item 38: the Middle East issues (December 2003)

2002

• Policy Address by Minister for Foreign Affairs, H.E. KONO Yohei (Subtitle: Toward Multi-layered relations with the Gulf Countries) (January 2001)

High-Level Visits Between Japan and the Middle East

• Bilateral Visits
  • Afghanistan
  • Bahrain
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Kuwait
  • Lebanon
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Syria
  • Turkey
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Yemen
  • Palestinian Authority
• Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba's Visit to Southwest Asia, the Middle East, and Africa (April 28 - May 4, 2012)
• Visit to the Middle East by Foreign Minister Gemba (January 2012)
• Japan-Jordan Summit Meeting (October 2010)
• Dinner between Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Seiji Maehara and Prime Minister of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Samir Rifai (October 2010)
• Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Visit to the Middle East Countries (April 2007)
• Dr. Tatsuo Arima, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for the Middle East, to Attend the Arab League Summit (March 2007)Visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories by Mr. Nobutaka Machimura, Minister for Foreign Affairs (Overview and Evaluation) (January 2005)
• Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi's Visit to the Middle East (April 2003)
• Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi's Visit to Israel and Palestinian Autonomous Areas (June 2002)
• Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi's Visit to Europe and Middle East (April 2002)
• Foreign Minister Yohei Kono's Visit to Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, and Russia (January 2001)
• State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Nobutaka Machimura to Visit the Middle East (February 1999)

Conferences and Fora

• Broader Middle East and North Africa (BMENA) Initiative
  • Final Declaration : 8th Forum for the Future G8, Broader Middle East and North Africa (November 2011) [PDF]
  • Ms. Seiko Hashimoto, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, to Attend the Fifth Ministerial Meeting of the "Forum for the Future" under the "Broader Middle East and North Africa: BMENA" Initiative (October 2008)
  • Foreign Minister Nakasone to Attend the Fifth Ministerial Meeting of the "Forum for the Future" under the "Broader Middle East and North Africa: BMENA" Initiative (October 2008)
  • Mr. Katsuhito Asano, Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, to Attend the Third Ministerial Meeting of the "Forum for the Future" (November 2006)
  • Mr. Katsutoshi KANEDA, Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, to Visit the Czech Republic and the Republic of Hungary and to Attend the Second Meeting of the "Forum for the Future" to be held in the Kingdom of Bahrain, together with the First Meeting of the "Task Force on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)" (November 2005)
  • Japan will co-host "Workshop on Vocational Training" as part of G8-BMENA Partnership Initiative (September 2005)
  
  
• Dialogue among Civilizations between Japan and the Islamic World
  • The 8th Seminar of the Dialogue among Civilizations between Japan and the Islamic World (February 2010)
    • Executive Summary and Recommendations
    • Attachment
    • List of Japanese and Muslim Intellectuals, and Partcipants for the Youth Exchange Program
    • Programme
    • The Youth Exchange Session of the Seminar on "The Dialogue among Civilizations" between Japan and the Islamic World (January 2010)
  • The 7th Seminar on "Dialogue among Civilizations between Japan and the Islamic World" in Kuwait (March 2009)
    • Opening Remarks by Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Masahiko Shibayama (March 11, 2009)
  • The 6th Seminar of the Dialogue among Civilizations between Japan and the Islamic World (March 23-25, 2008)
    • Remarks by Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Osamu Uno (March 23, 2008)
    • Press Release (March 19, 2008)
  • The 5th Seminar: Dialogue among Civilizations between Japan and the Islamic World (February 2007)
  • Seminar on The Dialogue among Civilizations: The Islamic World and Japan (March 2002)
  
  
• Japan-Arab Dialogue Forum
  • The Fourth Meeting of Japan-Arab Dialogue Forum (May 26-27, 2006)
    • Overview
    • Press Release (May 23, 2006)
  • The Third Meeting of the Arab-Japan Dialogue Forum (Overview) (January 8-9, 2005) [PDF]
  • The Second Session of the Japan Arab Dialogue Forum (Overview) (March 2004)
  • The Second Meeting of "Japan-Arab Dialogue Forum" and Japan-Egypt Joint Medical Technical Cooperation for Iraq (February 2004)
  • The First Meeting of "The Japan Arab Dialogue Forum" (September 4-5, 2003)
    • Overview (September 5, 2003)
    • Announcement (August 29, 2003)
  
  
• Seminar Series to Understand the Middle East
  • Seminar Series to Understand the Middle East (February 2006)
  • Seminar Series to Understand the Middle East (November 2005)
  • Seminar Series to Understand the Middle East and Islam (June 2005)
  • Seminar Series to Understand the Middle East and Islam (February 2005)
  • Seminar Series to Understand the Middle East and Islam (November 2004)
  • Seminar Series to Understand the Middle East and Islam (July 2004)
  
  
• Other Meetings
  • The 2nd Meeting of Japan-Arab Economic Forum (December 2010)
    • Overview(December 14, 2010)
    • "Tunisia Declaration"Joint Statement of the Second Meeting of the Japan-Arab Economic Forum for development of Japan-Arab economic relations (December 11-12, 2010)
  • JAPAN-THE LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES JOINT PRESS STATEMENT (December 12, 2010)
  • Meeting of Japanese Ambassadors to Middle East and North Africa in 2009 (December 2009)
  • The 1st Meeting of Japan-Arab Economic Forum (December 2009)
    • Summary and Assessment (December 10, 2009)
    • Signing ceremony for the Memorandum of Co-operation Regarding the Establishment of the Japan-Arab Economic Forum (December 6, 2009)
    • The Establishment of the Japan-Arab Economic Forum (January 2009)
  • Ambassador Tatsuo Arima, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for the Middle East, to Attend the World Economic Forum on the Middle East (May 16, 2008)
  • World Economic Forum on the Middle East (May 2006)
    • Remarks by Dr. Tatsuo Arima, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan (May 21, 2006)
    • Press Release (May 19, 2006)
  • Japan-R.O.K. Director-General Level Consultation on Middle East and African Policies (May 2007)
  • Japan-R.O.K. Director-General Level Consultation on Middle East Policy (December 2005)
  • The Second Japan-Arab Islamic Journalists Meeting (February 2007)
  • Second Japan-Arab Islamic Journalists Meeting (January 2007)
  • Japan-Arab-Islamic Journalists Meeting (November 2005)
  • Japan-Arab Islamic Journalists Meeting (October 2005)
  • The Second Round of the Negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement Talks (FTA) with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) (January 2007)
  • The First Meeting of the Free Trade Agreement Talks (FTA) with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) (September 2006)
  • Preliminary Meeting with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for Free Trade Agreement (FTA) (May 2006)
  • Reunion of Former Students in Japan from the Southwest Asian, Middle Eastern, Central Asian Countries and Mongolia 2006 (November 2006)
  • Prime Minister Abe to Host "Iftar" Dinner (October 2006)
  • Prime Minister Koizumi to Host "Iftar" (Fast-Breaking during Holy Ramadan Month) (October 2005)
  • Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Kiyohiko Toyama to Attend Middle East and North Africa (MENA)-OECD Investment Ministerial Meeting (February 2006)

Middle East Peace

Resources

• Japan-Arab Relations - Opening Door To A New Era (Pamphlet) (English [PDF] /Arabic [PDF] )
• An Overview and History of Exchanges
• Japan's Economic Cooperation in the Middle East
• Cultural and Educational Exchanges

Middle East Peace

• Japan's Stance on the Peace in the Middle East (November 2010)
• Middle East Peace Process

• Political Dialogues
  

  2012

  • Visit to the Middle East by Foreign Minister Gemba (January 5-12, 2012)
  
  

  2010

  • Dinner between Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Seiji Maehara and Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority Dr. Salam Fayyad (November 2010)
  • Meeting between Prime Minister of Japan and Prime Minister of Palestinian Authority (November 2010)
  • Meeting between Mr. Katsuya Okada, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, and H.E. Mr. Avigdor Liberman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel (May 11, 2010)
  • Meeting and Discussion between Mr. Katsuya Okada, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Dr. Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian President (February 9, 2010)
  
  

  2009

  • Visit to Japan by Dr. Hasan Abu-Libdeh, Minister of National Economy of the Palestinian Authority (November 12, 2009)
  
  

  2008

  • Dr. Tatsuo Arima, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for the Middle East, to Attend the Arab League Summit, and to Visit the State of Israel, the Palestinian Territories, and the United States of America (March 2008)
  • Visit to Japan of His Excellency Mr. Ehud Olmert, Prime Minister of the State of Israel And Mrs. Aliza Olmert (February 2008)
  
  

  2007

  • Visit to Japan by Dr. Ziad Abu-Amr, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Palestinian Authority (May 31, 2007)
  • Dr. Tatsuo Arima, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for the Middle East, to Meet with the Leaders of the Countries concerned with the Middle East Peace Attending the Arab League Summit (March 28, 2007)
  • Visit of Dr. Arima, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for the Middle East Peace Process, to the Middle East (February 2007)
  
  

  2006

  • Dr. Tatsuo Arima, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for the Middle East Peace Process, to Attend the Ministerial-level Meeting of the United Nations Security Council (September 2006)
  • Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Visit to the Middle East (January 5, 2006)
  
  

  2005

  • Visit to Japan by Mr. Ehud Olmert, Vice Prime Minister & Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor of Israel (April 2005)
  • Visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories by Mr. Nobutaka Machimura, Minister for Foreign Affairs (Overview and Evaluation) (January 2005)
  
  

  2003

  • Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi's Visit to the Middle East (April 2003)
  
  

  2002

  • Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi's Visit to Israel and Palestinian Autonomous Areas (June 2002)
  
  

  2000

  • Visits to Japan of Shimon Peres, Special Envoy and Former Prime Minister of Israel, and Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (Summary) (August 2000)
  
  

  1999

  • Visit to Japan of Mr. Yasser Arafat, President of Palestinian Authority and Chairman of PLO (April 1999)
  
  
  
• Assistance to Palestinians
  

  2010

  • Exchange of Notes for the Community Empowerment Grant Aid to the Palestinian Territories (The Project for Support for the Public Activities of the Communities in Jordan Valley) (March 2, 2010)
  
  

  2009

  • Exchange of Notes concerning Non-Project Grant Aid to the Palestinian Authority (December 21, 2009)
  • Exchange of Notes on Grant Aid for the Palestinians (August 11, 2009)
  • Mr. Shintaro Ito, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, to attend the International Conference in support of the Palestinian Economy for the Reconstruction of Gaza (February 26, 2009)
  • Japan's Additional Emergency Assistance to the Gaza Strip (January 23, 2009)
  • Assistance in Kind for the Afflicted People in the Gaza Strip (January 23, 2009)
  
  

  2008

  • Assistance for Palestine Refugees (December 12, 2008)
  • Exchange of Notes Concerning a Non-Project Grant Aid to the Palestinian Authority (October 29, 2008)
  
  

  2007

  • Japan's Emergency Assistance to improve the medical situation of the Palestinians (December 14, 2007)
  • Announcement of Assistance to the Palestinians by Mr. Taro Aso, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Exchange of Notes concerning Non-project Grant Aid to the Palestinian Authority (August 15, 2007)
  • Exchange of Notes concerning Grant Aid (Food Aid) through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) for Palestinian Refugees (August 13, 2007)
  • Grant Assistance for Underprivileged Farmers in the Palestinian territories, Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea, and Ethiopia through the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) (July 31, 2007)
  • Emergency Humanitarian Grant Aid for Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon (July 3, 2007)
  • Food Aid through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) (March 19, 2007)
  • Grant Assistance for Underprivileged Farmers in Sudan, Palestine, and Mozambique through the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (March 19, 2007)
  • Japan's Emergency Assistance to improve the humanitarian situation of the Palestinians (March 2, 2007)
  
  

  2006

  • Assistance for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) (December 6, 2006)
  • Japan's Assistance to the Palestinians on the occasion of the Visit of Prime Minister Mr. Junichiro Koizumi (Fact Sheet) (July 2006)
  • Grant Aid to UNICEF for the Project for Improving the Control of Infectious Diseases and the Nutritional Status of Palestinian Children and Preventing Inner-hospital Infection of Newborn Babies in the Palestinian Territories (July 10, 2006)
  • Remarks by Dr. Tatsuo Arima, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan, at the Session: "Providing Hope for the Palestinian Economy", World Economic Forum on the Middle East (May 2006)
  • Japan's Assistance to Palestinians: List of projects under implementation (May 2006)
  • Food Aid for Palestine (March 17, 2006)
  • Assistance for "Isolated and Disenfranchised Communities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory" Project (January 9, 2006)
  
  

  2005

  • Japan's Assistance to the Palestinians (as of March 31, 2005)
  
  

  1999

  • Food Aid for Palestinian Refugees (March 1999)
  • Meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee to Assist the Palestinian People (February 1999)
  
  

  1998

  • Grant Aid to the Palestinian Interim Self-Government Authority to Increase Food Production (December 1998)
  
  
  
• "Corridor for Peace and Prosperity" Initiative
  
  
• Confidence-Building Measures
  
  • The Fourth Conference for Confidence-Building between the Israelis and the Palestinians (October 22-23, 2008)
  • Youth Invitation Program from Israel and the Palestinian Territories (December 2005)
  • The Second Conference for Confidence-Building between the Israelis and the Palestinians (July 2004)
  • Israel-Palestine Peace and Confidence-Building Conference Toward Stable Coexistence of Mutually Interdependent States of Israel and Palestine (Summary) (May 2003)
  • Holding of a Conference "Towards Stable Coexistence of Mutually Interdependent States of Israel and Palestine" to Build Confidence between the Israelis and the Palestinians (May 2003)
  • New Japanese Assistance Package and Confidence-building initiative (April 2003)
  • FY 1999 Seminar for Supporting the Middle East Peace Process (March 2000)
  
  
  
• Statements and Press Releases
  

  2010

  • Exchange of Notes concerning Non-Project Grant Aid to the Palestinian Authority (October 24, 2010)
  • Statement by Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the decision of the Government of Israel regarding the construction of housing units in East Jerusalem (October 18, 2010)
  • Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the current situation of the Middle East Peace Process (September 29, 2010)
  • Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on shooting by Hamas' military wing in the West Bank (September 1, 2010)
  • Statement by Mr. Katsuya Okada, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, on the resumption of direct talks between Israel and Palestinians (Augusut 21, 2010)
  • Extension of the Dispatch of the International Peace Cooperation Corps in the Golan Heights (Augusut 6, 2010)
  • Statement by Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the start of proximity talks between Israel and Palestinians (May 2010)
  • The Fifth Technical-Level Meeting of the Four-Party Consultative Unit for the initiative of “Corridor for Peace and Prosperity” (March 18, 2010)
  • Statement by Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the decision of the Government of Israel regarding the construction of housing units at settlements in West Bank including East Jerusalem (March 11, 2010)
  • Statement by Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the recent situation in Israel and the Palestinian Territories (March 10, 2010)
  • Statement by Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the recent situation in Israel and the Palestinian Territories (March 5, 2010)
  • Extension of the Dispatch of the International Peace Cooperation Corps in the Golan Heights (January 29, 2010)
  
  

  2009

  • Statement by the Press Secretary on the Decision of the Government of Israel Regarding the Suspension of New Construction at the Settlements (November 26, 2009)
  • Statement by Press Secretary on the decision of the Jerusalem Planning Committee regarding the construction of housing units at the settlement in East Jerusalem (November 19, 2009)
  
  

  2003

  • Statement by Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi on the Announcement of the "Roadmap" (May 2003)
  • Statement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, on the Inauguration of a New Cabinet Led by Mr. Mahmoud Abbas (April 2003)
  • Statement by Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi "Peace in the Middle East Towards the peaceful coexistence of the two states" (April 2003)
  
  

  2002

  • "Helping to inspire hope: Japan wants a role in the peace process" by Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi (June 2002)
  • Statement by Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi on the efforts by the United States and others regarding the Middle East (April 2002)
  • Statement by the Press Secretary on the President Bush's remarks on dispatching Secretary of State Collin Powell to the region (April 2002)
  • Statement by the Press Secretary on the outcome of the Arab Summit Meeting in Beirut and the worsening situation in the region (March 2002)
  • Statement by the Press Secretary on the President Bush's remarks on dispatching General Zinni to the region (March 2002)
  • Statement by the Press Secretary on the conflicts between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and an initiative proposed by Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia (March 2002)
  
  

  2001

  • Statement by the Press Secretary on the Statement by US Secretary of State Colin Powell concerning Middle East Policy (November 2001)
  • Statement by the Press Secretary on the Increased Tensions between Israel and Syria/Lebanon (April 2001)
  
  

  2000

  • Comment by the Press Secretary on the Resumption of the Middle East Peace Negotiations (December 2000)
  • Crisis in the Middle East Peace Process (October 2000)
  • Statement by the Press Secretary on the Camp David Summit Meeting (July 2000)
  
  

  1999

  • Statement by Foreign Minister Koumura on the Agreement between Israel and the Palestinians regarding Implementation of Wye Memorandum and Resumption of Final Status Negotiations (September 1999)
  • Speech by the Foreign Minister of Japan Mr. Koumura at the Palestinian Council: "Building a new bridge between Japan and the Middle East toward the 21st century" (January 1999)
  
  

  1998

  • Statement by Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura on Revocation of Anti-Israel Clauses of the PLO Charter (December 1998)
  • Statement by the Press Secretary on the Decision of the Israeli Cabinet concerning the Implementation of the Wye River Agreement (December 1998)
  • Speech by Ambassador Arima Representative of the Government of Japan at the Conference to Support Middle East Peace and Development (November 1998)
  • Statement by the Press Secretary on the Terrorist Bombing in Jerusalem (November 1998)
  • Statement by Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura on the agreements in the Middle East peace talks (October 1998)
  
  

  1996

  • Address by Foreign Minister Yukihiko Ikeda at the Summit of Peacemakers in the Middle East (Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt) (March 1996)
    
    
    
  • Announcement by Prime Minister
  • Announcement by Foreign Minister
  • Important Statements
  
  
  
• References
  • Japan's Support for the Middle East Peace
  • Peace in the Middle East - Japan's Efforts - (April 2007)[PDF]

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