Japan-Qatar ties gain momentum across sectors: Ambassador

Doha, Qatar: Japan and Qatar s ties continue to deepen across diplomacy, defence, investment and people to people exchanges, Japan s Ambassador to Qat...

Doha, Qatar: Japan and Qatar’s ties continue to deepen across diplomacy, defence, investment and people-to-people exchanges, Japan’s Ambassador to Qatar H E Naoto Hisajima said at a reception in Doha yesterday, marking the 66th birthday of H M Emperor Naruhito.

Addressing guests, including Minister of Transport H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Thani, the ambassador described the occasion as a celebration not only of the Emperor’s birthday but also “the enduring bridge of friendship that connects Japan and Qatar.”

Hisajima highlighted several major milestones over the past year, including the third Japan-Qatar Strategic Dialogue, a new long-term LNG purchase agreement between Japan’s JERA and QatarEnergy, and the Osaka-Kansai Expo, which he said attracted more than 25 million visitors and brought the two countries closer. The ambassador also noted the visits of senior Qatari officials to Japan for the Expo, calling it “far more than an exhibition; it was a powerful catalyst for the deepening friendship between our two countries.”

He said the momentum from the Expo would continue with upcoming global events, including the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya this year and the International Horticultural Expo in Yokohama in 2027, expressing confidence that “this landmark year will yield fruit of closer cooperation for decades to come.”

Beyond these headline developments, Hisajima pointed to expanding defence and economic ties.