State Minister Yamada Visits the United Arab Emirates, the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, and the Sultanate of Oman

*Note: The Partnership on Wide Energy and Resources Resilience Asia, also known as POWERR Asia, is a framework that provides financial support of about USD 10 billion for structural responses across Asia. These responses include financing for the procurement of crude oil and petroleum products and the maintenance of supply chains, the extension of crude oil stockpiling periods, and industrial upgrading through efforts to secure critical minerals, diversify energy sources, and promote energy conservation. The framework also includes support for the recovery of production capacity in Middle Eastern oil-producing countries.

Financial Cooperation with Partner-Country Companies under the Partnership on Wide Energy and Resources Resilience Asia (April 21, 2026)

1. UAE

(1) Meeting with H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Group CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Special Envoy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Japan (Tuesday, May 5)

State Minister Yamada, together with Mr. Akazawa Ryosei, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, who brought a personal letter from Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae to H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, held a meeting with H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Group CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Special Envoy of the UAE to Japan.
Based on the personal letter, Minister Akazawa made proposals regarding cooperation for (1) enhancing the stable supply of crude oil and other resources, (2) promptly replenishing joint reserves with oil-producing countries, (3) building up crude oil stockpiling in Japan, (4) expanding crude oil stockpiling across Asia based on POWERR Asia, and (5) restoring and expanding crude oil production and transportation capacities as well as developing alternative routes. Both sides deepened discussions toward the concrete realization of the proposals and agreed on the basic direction for further advancing cooperation toward energy resilience.

(2) Visit to Make It in the Emirates (Tuesday, May 5)

State Minister Yamada visited Make It in the Emirates, an exhibition for the manufacturing sector organized by the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, mainly featuring UAE companies. He stopped by booths of Japanese companies exhibiting at the event—Al Gharbia Pipe Company, a local joint venture company of JFE Steel Corporation and Marubeni-Itochu Steel Inc., and Yokogawa Electric Corporation—and exchanged views on the impact of the current situation in the Middle East on business.

2. Qatar

(1) Visit to Ras Laffan LNG Facilities (Wednesday, May 6)

State Minister Yamada visited Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar, where LNG production and export facilities are concentrated, and exchanged views with Chiyoda Corporation’s relevant personnel who are engaged in construction work under the current situation in the Middle East.

(2) Meeting with H.E. Mr. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs (Wednesday, May 6)

At the meeting with H.E. Mr. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, State Minister Yamada exchanged views on cooperation toward ensuring a stable supply of LNG, crude oil, naphtha, and helium after the resumption of production, and toward restoring Qatar’s production capacity, in light of the current situation in the Middle East. Both sides agreed to build closer bilateral cooperation in the area of energy.

(3) Meeting with H.E. Mr. Mohammed Saif Al-Sowaidi, CEO of Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) (Wednesday, May 6)

At the meeting with H.E. Mr. Mohammed Saif Al-Sowaidi, CEO of QIA, in light of QIA’s increasing interest in investing in Japan, State Minister Yamada provided an overview of Japan’s economy and related measures, including strategic investment that enhance resilience against potential crises. Both sides exchanged views on strengthening cooperation in the area of investment in Japan.

3. Kuwait

(1) Meeting with H.E. Mr. Tariq Suleiman Ahmed Al-Rumi, Minister of Oil (Thursday, May 7)

At the meeting with H.E. Mr. Tariq Suleiman Ahmed Al-Rumi, Minister of Oil, State Minister Yamada requested a stable supply of crude oil to Japan and proposed support for restoring Kuwait’s crude oil production capacity. In response, the other party expressed his gratitude for Japan’s cooperation, and both sides agreed to build closer bilateral cooperation in the area of energy.

(2) Meeting with H.E. Dr. Subaih Abdul Aziz Abdul Muhsen Al-Mukhaizeem, Minister of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy (Thursday, May 7)

At the meeting, H.E. Dr. Subaih Abdul Aziz Abdul Muhsen Al-Mukhaizeem, Minister of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, expressed his expectations, based on the involvement of Japanese companies in power generation and water desalination infrastructure in Kuwait, that experts from Japanese companies would carry out maintenance work in preparation for the extremely hot summer and that Japanese companies would participate in future new projects.

4. Oman

(1) Meeting with H.E. Eng. Salim bin Nasser Al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals (Saturday, May 9)

At the meeting with H.E. Eng. Salim bin Nasser Al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, State Minister Yamada proposed cooperation toward improving Oman’s crude oil and LNG production capacity in light of the current situation in the Middle East and requested an additional supply of crude oil and LNG from Oman, whose export routes do not pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Both sides agreed to build closer bilateral cooperation in the area of energy, while the other party expressed interest in corporate collaboration in the hydrogen and CCUS areas.

(2) Meeting with Mr. Ashraf Hamed Al Mamari, Group CEO of the State-Run Energy Company OQ (Saturday, May 9)

At the meeting with Mr. Ashraf Hamed Al Mamari, Group CEO of OQ, State Minister Yamada proposed cooperation toward improving Oman’s crude oil and LNG production capacity and requested an additional supply of crude oil and LNG from Oman, whose export routes do not pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

5. Discussions with Locally Stationed Employees of Japanese Companies in the UAE, Qatar, and Oman

State Minister Yamada exchanged views with locally stationed employees of Japanese companies and inquired about the actual conditions of their business and daily lives in their respective countries of assignment, as well as their requests.

Divisions in Charge

• Middle East and Africa Division, Trade Policy Bureau

• International Strategy on Energy Resources Office, Natural Resources and Fuel Department, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy