Joint Press Release with the Ministry of Foreign AffairsDate and Schedule of the Third Japan-Arab Economic Forum were Determined

1. The Japan-Arab Economic Forum was established as a framework for ministerial level dialogue by uniting efforts of the Government of Japan and Japan's business community in cooperation with the League of Arab States (LAS) and its members, for the purpose of further enhancing the economic relationship between Japan and Arab states through cooperation in a wide range of areas including trade, investment, energy, science and technology, and human resource development.
2. Arab states are now endeavoring to diversify their economies and industries as their major challenge and are calling on Japan to expand economic relations with the entire Arab region. This is a big chance for Japanese companies to expand their business. Through holding this forum, it is expected that Japan's presence and communication capacity will be strengthened in the Arab region and this will eventually contribute to the enforcement of Japan's economic diplomacy, or resource diplomacy, in particular.

1) Date:

From Monday, December 16, to Tuesday, December 17, 2013

2) Venue:

The Prince Park Tower Tokyo

On the Japanese side, officials from the Government of Japan and government-related organizations, as well as people involved in private organizations, will unite their efforts to hold the forum, including the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Keidanren, and the Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East (JCCME).

On the Arabian side, ministers from the LAS member countries who are in charge of either foreign affairs, industry, trade, economy or energy, as well as heads of economic associations, including chairmen of the chambers of commerce across the LAS, will participate in and exchange views in the forum.

Applications to join the forum will be accepted from August 2013 at the JCCME website:

JCCME

Telephone:

03-3237-6722

Website:

http://www.jaef2013.org/

May 31, 2013

Middle East and Africa Division, Trade Policy Bureau