UAE Japan Parliamentary Cooperation Strengthened As FNC Speaker Meets Ishiba In Abu Dhabi

The Federal National Council Speaker Saqr Ghobash met Shigeru Ishiba, head of the Japan-UAE Parliamentary Friendship League and former Japanese Prime Minister, at the council headquarters in Abu Dhabi, where both sides discussed strengthening parliamentary diplomacy and wider cooperation between the UAE and Japan across key political, economic and technology sectors.

During the meeting, the delegations examined how regular parliamentary visits, structured coordination and direct consultations could support joint decision-making on shared issues, improve mutual understanding between lawmakers, and help both governments align policies that serve long-term interests and ambitions of communities in the UAE and Japan.

Members of the Federal National Council attended the discussions, which highlighted the UAE’s ongoing commitment to work closely with Japan through formal parliamentary channels, with Saqr Ghobash stressing that cooperation and partnership now extend across many fields due to the continued guidance of the leaderships in both countries.

Saqr Ghobash welcomed Shigeru Ishiba and the parliamentary delegation, thanking Ishiba for responding to the invitation and visiting the UAE and the Federal National Council, and noted that such high-level parliamentary engagement reflects the depth of cooperation and the stability of friendly relations between the UAE and Japan.

Shigeru Ishiba underlined that strategic relations between Japan and the UAE already stretch across vital areas, including politics, trade, investment, education, technology, innovation and renewable energy, and explained that parliamentary dialogue supports government efforts to expand projects in these sectors, including advanced industry, digital infrastructure and low-carbon energy systems.

The discussions also reviewed how closer parliamentary diplomacy can back existing cooperation frameworks between Abu Dhabi, Tokyo and other centres, by helping align legislation, supporting joint research initiatives, and encouraging knowledge exchange on science, technology and clean energy, in line with the shared priorities of both governments and their national development plans.

Saqr Ghobash congratulated the Japanese government on hosting Expo 2025 Osaka, describing the event’s organisation as highly efficient and internationally focused, and noted that participation by the UAE delegation highlighted national development experience, strengthened global visibility, and underlined the UAE’s role as a cultural and civilisational partner for Japan.

The meeting at the Federal National Council illustrated how structured parliamentary engagement continues to support wider UAE-Japan relations, providing a formal channel to review cooperation in advanced technology, renewable energy, education and investment, while also reinforcing existing government ties that link the Middle East and East Asia through stable long-term partnerships.

With inputs from WAM