Amid a stubbornly severe global energy outlook, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will use his first trip to the Middle East since he took office as a chance to call for political stability in the region and reiterate the importance of stable energy supply chains.
Following a four-day trip to Europe — where he discussed Tokyo’s shared interests with NATO and the European Union — Kishida will fly to Saudi Arabia on Sunday for a short tour that will also take him to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
Despite the government's ambitious goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and Kishida's plan to procure ¥150 trillion in public and private investment for his signature green transformation initiative, Tokyo remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels and imports 90% of its oil supplies from the Middle East. That makes the region one of critical importance for Japan, said Shuji Hosaka, a board member of the Institute of Energy Economics Japan.
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