TOKYO, 4th November, 2026 (WAM) — UAE and Japanese officers and researchers have referred to as for advancing the strategic partnership between the 2 nations past conventional vitality cooperation to embody funding, superior manufacturing, synthetic intelligence (AI), water safety and diplomatic coordination. They emphasised the significance of launching joint industrial partnerships, creating modern water initiatives and strengthening analysis and financial cooperation to translate historic relations into sensible and sustainable tasks and initiatives.
The name got here throughout the DAS Dialogue: UAE-Japan Strategic Forum, organised by TRENDS Global, a part of TRENDS Group, in Tokyo below the theme From a Historic Energy Partnership to a Shared Future. The discussion board introduced collectively senior officers, policymakers, specialists, researchers, and representatives of assume tanks and financial establishments from each nations.
The dialogue drew its title and historic significance from Das Island, the departure level of the primary cargo of Abu Dhabi crude oil to Japan in 1962, symbolising greater than six a long time of cooperation and friendship and opening the way in which for a brand new chapter of complete strategic partnership and financial and technological integration.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al Ali, Chairman of the Board of Directors of TRENDS Group, stated in a recorded handle that the title DAS carries important historic that means, recalling the primary Abu Dhabi crude oil cargo to Japan in 1962.
He famous that UAE-Japan relations, after greater than six a long time, are getting into a brand new section past conventional vitality cooperation in direction of complete strategic cooperation.
He highlighted the position of mutual belief and long-term imaginative and prescient in creating bilateral relations and their capability to adapt to worldwide adjustments. He famous that vitality, meals and water safety challenges make the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement an vital alternative to broaden commerce and funding, strengthen private-sector cooperation, open new markets and develop cooperation in superior manufacturing, AI, the digital financial system and clear vitality.
The opening session additionally featured remarks by Tsujii Akihiro, Assistant Vice-Minister and Deputy Director-General of the Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau at Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who praised the continued growth of bilateral relations.
The first session, Foreign Policy and Strategic Cooperation: The UAE and Japan in a Changing International Order, examined the event of bilateral relations in mild of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Initiative and its implementation framework signed in 2022, in addition to the conclusion of negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in March 2026 and the significance of constructing on these frameworks to broaden political, safety and strategic coordination.
Yoshimasa Hayashi, former Japanese Foreign Minister and Member of the House of Representatives, moderated and took part within the session, alongside Fatima Al Rumaithi, Principal Researcher at TRENDS Research & Advisory; Dr. Koji Horinouchi, Director of Research on the JIME Center of the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan; Dr. Marwan Al Blooshi, Senior Researcher on the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research; and Dr. Amani Kobayashi, Associate Professor at Musashino University and Senior Fellow on the Sasakawa Peace Foundation’s Mediation Support Center.
The second session, Trade, Investment and the Next Phase of Economic Partnership, explored alternatives arising from the UAE-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and methods to translate them into tangible funding, industrial and industrial partnerships.
Moderated by Taro Han, Vice President of Asia Group, the session featured Sogano Masafumi, Director of the Middle East and Africa Division at Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; Mouza Al Marzouqi, Principal Researcher and Director of the Economic Studies Department at TRENDS; and Rawya Al Blooshi, Researcher on the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research.
The session highlighted alternatives in AI, superior manufacturing, vital minerals, clear vitality and digital infrastructure by means of the mixing of Japan’s technological and industrial experience with the UAE’s funding capabilities and world logistics networks.
Participants additionally referred to as for increasing cooperation into third-country markets, significantly in Asia and Africa, by means of joint tasks combining Japanese industrial and technological experience with Emirati funding and logistics capabilities.
A key proposal was to launch a joint industrial partnership inside the subsequent 12 months, specializing in vital provide chains by means of the institution of a UAE-based industrial undertaking to fabricate strategic parts, offering a sensible mannequin for translating bilateral understandings into tangible investments and tasks.
The third session, Water Security and Resilience within the Face of Global Challenges, explored UAE-Japan cooperation in water-resource administration and sustainable options forward of Abu Dhabi’s internet hosting of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference.
Moderated by Professor Kenzo Hiroki of the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, the session featured Professor Kei Yoshimura of the University of Tokyo and Najla Al Midfa, a researcher at TRENDS Research & Advisory.
Speakers proposed launching a joint UAE-Japan initiative on climate-resilient water, to be introduced in Abu Dhabi, creating scientific cooperation in early-warning programs and cleaner desalination applied sciences, leveraging the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement to assist water applied sciences and joint tasks, and increasing associated initiatives throughout Asia and Africa.
They emphasised that whereas vitality laid the foundations for the primary 60 years of the UAE-Japan partnership, water may form the subsequent 60 years.
The DAS Dialogue 2026 concluded by emphasising the significance of constructing on the discussions and insights from the three periods and translating them into actionable programmes and initiatives to advance the UAE-Japan partnership throughout political, financial, analysis and technological fields.
Key suggestions included getting ready a joint abstract of coverage and analysis priorities, establishing sustainable institutional hyperlinks between assume tanks in each nations, and figuring out joint analysis tasks to strengthen the alternate of experience and information.
The suggestions additionally included creating sensible proposals to implement the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and encourage private-sector participation, figuring out joint industrial and funding alternatives, and creating UAE-Japan water initiatives in assist of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference.
They additionally highlighted the significance of exploring the potential for holding the DAS Dialogue commonly, alternating between the UAE and Japan, to take care of engagement amongst decision-makers, researchers, specialists and enterprise establishments and supply a sustainable platform for following up on joint initiatives.