The UAE and Japan reach the final terms of a comprehensive economic partnership agreement

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TOKYO, 6 March / WAM / The UAE and Japan have reached the final terms of a comprehensive economic partnership agreement, the first of its kind for Japan with an Arab country, with the aim of continuing to advance trade and investment relations between the two friendly countries to new heights of mutual economic growth.

The announcement of reaching the terms of the agreement and the successful conclusion of the negotiations conducted by the two countries regarding it came during the official visit carried out by His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and the Foreign Minister’s envoy to Japan, accompanied by His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, during a meeting with His Excellency Toshimitsu Motegi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

This agreement comes within the framework of the mutual keenness between the UAE and Japan to continue strengthening the historical strategic relations between them in all fields, at the heart of which are trade and investment ties.

The agreement represents an important milestone in the path of relations between the two countries. It is expected to contribute to enhancing trade and investment flows and expanding cooperation between the private sectors of both sides in priority sectors, including advanced technology, logistics services, international transport, cybersecurity, healthcare and education.

The agreement also provides new opportunities for partnership in the fields of research, development, innovation, smart mobility and energy security, in addition to financial services and digital transformation. These areas are consistent with the UAE’s vision of building an economy based on knowledge and innovation, and also support the priorities of the two countries within the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership signed in 2022.

His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber said that these efforts come in line with the directives of the wise leadership to strengthen economic and trade relations with Japan, and the successful conclusion of the negotiations of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and Japan reflects the strength of the strategic partnership between the two countries and their joint commitment to promoting innovation and industrial development and achieving sustainable economic growth.

He added that the agreement will open new horizons for cooperation in the fields of advanced industries, technology and flexible supply chains. It will also provide more opportunities for the private sector to enhance investment and innovation. By enhancing economic integration between the two countries, the agreement will contribute to supporting the development of future industries and consolidating advanced competitive economies.

For his part, His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi said that the conclusion of our negotiations with Japan, one of the largest economies in the world and a main member of the Group of Seven countries, represents an important step forward towards improving strategic relations between the UAE and Japan, noting that by removing barriers to trade and facilitating the mutual flow of investments, the agreement will open new horizons for the private sector in the two countries, by providing a vital platform for building promising partnerships between the business communities on both sides in a way that achieves the interests and prosperity of the two friendly countries. Subscriber.

The successful conclusion of the negotiations stems from thriving trade relations, as the value of non-oil trade between the UAE and Japan reached $20.3 billion in 2025, with a growth of 16.7% compared to 2024.

The UAE has established its position as Japan’s largest trading partner in the Middle East and Africa, receiving 39% of Japan’s trade with Arab and African countries.

The comprehensive economic partnership agreements program adopted by the UAE forms a pillar of its foreign trade strategy, as the country has concluded agreements with more than 35 high-growth economies since the launch of the program in September 2021, enhancing access to markets that include about a quarter of the world’s population.