Japan’s Kishida to visit Middle East to talk energy markets, offer green tech

Japan’s Kishida to visit Middle East to talk energy markets, offer green tech

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida plans to discuss energy markets on a trip to Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar later this month, aiming to offer Japanese technologies for net zero transition, a senior official said. Energy-poor Japan relies on Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, with Saudi Arabia and UAE among key OPEC members, for the most of its oil, while part of its liquefied natural gas needs - the world's largest - is covered by Qatar. Kishida will visit the three countries on July 16-19 as "it is very important to build a personal relationship of trust with the leaders responsible for each country for years to come", a senior official at Japan's foreign ministry said. "Crude oil prices are high due to the situation in Ukraine, so it is a very important purpose to exchange views on the current oil market and LNG market," the official, who declined to be named, told reporters. "It is very important to exchange views with these countries on stabilising the energy market." Japan is actively developing greener and renewable energy technologies as it wants to be carbon neutral by 2050, and Kishida will also try to promote Japanese