Top > Regional Affairs > Middle East > Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Visit to the Middle East Countries > Press Statement between Qatar and Japan

Press Statement
between Qatar and Japan

The Prime Minister of Japan H.E. Mr. Shinzo Abe paid an official visit to the State of Qatar on May 1-2, 2007, accompanied by an official delegation including a large number of high-level Japanese businessmen. The Emir H.H. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifah Al Thani received H.E. Mr. Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister of Japan during his visit to Qatar.

During the visit, the following statement was released:

  1. The two sides underlined the importance of the visit which was conducted by H.H. the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifah Al Thani to Japan in 1999 and 2005, as a significant step towards promoting relations between the two countries, also the visit made by H.E. the Prime Minister of Japan to the State has achieved fruitful results in strengthening these relations.
  2. The two sides decided to intensify dialogues between the two countries in a broad range of fields.
  3. The two sides have appraised the economic and trade activities between the two countries and emphasized the need to develop and intensify them.
  4. The two sides expressed their satisfaction over the effectiveness of the Joint Economic Committee and decided to convene the 2nd meeting of the Committee as soon as possible.
  5. The two sides stressed the importance to convene the 3rd round of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations between Japan and the GCC at soonest. The leaders of both countries reaffirmed their strongest commitment to make every effort to aim at reaching an agreement in principle as soon as possible.
  6. The two sides underlined the importance of the stability of the global energy market. In this respect, the Qatari side expressed its view that it would keep supplying oil and natural gas including LNG to Japan at an acceptable rate for both sides in a stable manner, and the Japanese side expressed its appreciation for this. Both sides reaffirmed to develop the relations between the two countries in the field of production and transport of oil and LNG.
  7. The two sides confirmed that they should make utmost efforts to further expand the investments between the two countries and decided to launch informal talks to start bilateral investment agreement negotiations under the framework of the Joint Economic Committee. The Qatari side expressed its wish to also start negotiation on avoidance of double taxation agreement.
  8. The two sides shared the view that it is upon the entire international community, not only industrialized countries but also countries providing energy, to work towards developing a strategy to manage the current global warming. In this regard, the Japanese side expressed its intention to promote its cooperation at both governmental and private levels to face up to the global warming.
  9. The two sides underlined the importance of cooperation between the two countries in the fields of education. The Qatari side expressed its sincere expectations for Japan's further cooperation in establishing a Japanese-style education mechanism in the long run. The Japanese side, in response, expressed its readiness to advance Japan-Qatar collaboration on education.
  10. The two sides expressed their wholehearted welcome for the upcoming engagement of a Japanese company in the "Master Plan for the State of Qatar."
  11. The two sides confirmed that a just and comprehensive solution for the Arab- Israeli conflict based on the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions is the most important element to achieve stability in the Middle East.
  12. The two sides stressed their commitment to assist the Iraqi people and decided to coordinate with each other to restore the stability and national unity in Iraq.
  13. The two sides underlined the importance to urge all countries in the Middle East to accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and to make the Middle East free from all weapons of mass destruction. In this respect, the two sides affirmed the importance of finding a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council's resolutions.
  14. The two sides underlined the importance that the agreement reached at the Six-Party Talks on 13 February 2007 should be expeditiously implemented as a first step towards full implementation of the Joint Statement of 19 September 2005, including early resolution of the abduction issue.
  15. The two sides shared the view on the importance of cooperation between the two countries through the membership of the UN Security Council and on the continuation of joint efforts to comprehensively reform the United Nations system including the Security Council in accordance with the 21st century spirit. The Qatari side reaffirmed once again its support for Japan's permanent membership of the Security Council. The Japanese side expressed its deep appreciation for this support by the State of Qatar.

Doha, May 1, 2007

Back to Index