Japanese FM visits Saudi Arabia and Oman with maritime security in focus

Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi embarked on a four-day tour of the Gulf region this week, with maritime security and energy resilience taking center stage in his discussions with Saudi Arabia and Oman. The minister met his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, in Riyadh on Wednesday and is set to travel to Oman on Thursday.

The focus of the meetings will be on regional security, energy and freedom of navigation. Motegi's visit comes amid Saudi Arabia's efforts to maintain oil exports through the Red Sea, despite threats from the Houthi rebels, and Oman's discussions with Iran over shipping arrangements through the Strait of Hormuz. Prince Faisal emphasized that Japan is a key economic partner for Saudi Arabia, and the kingdom aims to leverage opportunities in investment, energy, resources, supply chains, defense, technology, and expertise exchange.

Both countries vowed to remain reliable partners in various sectors, including energy, and stressed the importance of safeguarding freedom of navigation on international waters. The talks come as tensions remain high over the Strait of Hormuz, with conflicting reports from Iran and the US about the status of the waterway. Shipping traffic through the channel remained unchanged from the previous day, while discussions aimed at resolving the US-Iran conflict continue to stall.

The war has disrupted global supply chains, with Saudi Arabia redirecting crude oil through its East-West pipeline to Yanbu, a route now under threat from Houthi attacks.