-
Japan’s Abe begins Gulf tour in Saudi Arabia amid tensions

Japan’s premier arrived on Saturday in Saudi Arabia at the start of a Gulf tour during which he hopes to ease tensions after the US killed a top Iranian general.
The official Saudi news agency SPA said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his delegation were received by senior officials including Economy Minister Mohammed al-Tuwaijri.
During his five-day tour, Abe will also visit the United Arab Emirates and Oman, where a new ruler was sworn in on Saturday following the death of modern day Oman’s founding father Sultan Qaboos.
Abe’s Gulf trip had initially been thrown into doubt after Tehran responded to the US’ January 3 killing of Qassem Soleimani by launching a barrage of missiles at bases hosting American troops in Iraq.
The escalation prompted fears of an all-out war.
Those fears have subsided however after US President Donald Trump said Iran appeared to be standing down after targeting the US bases in Iraq.
“To avoid further escalation of the tense situation in the Middle East, (Abe) will exchange opinions with the three countries” he is visiting, Japanese government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said ahead of the visit.
“In each of the countries, we plan to ask for cooperation in ensuring a stable energy supply and the safety of vessels,” he added.
Japan last month announced it would deploy a military vessel and two patrol planes to the region to protect its shipping interests.
Abe has in recent months tried to carve out a role as mediator between Japan’s ally Washington and Tehran, with which Tokyo has longstanding ties.
In December Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited Abe in Tokyo after a visit by the Japanese prime minister to Tehran in June.
That visit came amid tensions in the Gulf following a spate of attacks on oil tankers which Washington blamed on Iran, despite denials from Tehran.
“I’m deeply concerned about the tensions in the Middle East,” Abe said earlier this week according to Japan’s public broadcaster NHK as he announced details of his Gulf trip.
“I hope to contribute to peace and stability in the region through diplomatic efforts to ease tensions,” he added.
Japan was formerly a major buyer of Iranian crude but stopped purchases to comply with US sanctions imposed after Washington in May 2018 unilaterally quit the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran.
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!