ABU DHABI, UAE, 10 May 2025 – A high-level economic delegation from Abu Dhabi, led by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), has concluded a productive visit to Japan aimed at deepening economic ties and strengthening cooperation between the two nations. The mission resulted in a series of strategic agreements with both Japanese government bodies and leading private sector entities.
The week-long visit, part of ADDED’s broader global strategy to attract foreign investment and promote Abu Dhabi as a hub for innovation, sustainability, and advanced industries, included engagements in Tokyo and Osaka. The delegation comprised representatives from the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), and several other public and private sector stakeholders. Over the course of the trip, the delegation held over 300 meetings with Japanese government officials, business leaders, and investors.
These meetings culminated in the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding, designed to facilitate collaboration across sectors such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy, artificial intelligence, and life sciences. The agreements are expected to boost bilateral trade and investment flows, supporting Abu Dhabi’s industrial strategy, which seeks to double the emirate’s manufacturing sector to AED172 billion (£37 billion) by 2031.
One of the key outcomes of the visit was the agreement between ADDED and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to enhance cooperation in industrial development and technology exchange. This partnership builds upon existing economic ties between the UAE and Japan, which have seen growing trade volumes and mutual investment in recent years.
According to data from the UAE Ministry of Economy, Japan is one of the UAE’s largest trading partners in Asia, with non-oil trade between the two countries reaching approximately AED51.7 billion (£11.1 billion) in 2023. Major exports include aluminium and petrochemical products, while imports from Japan are dominated by vehicles, electronics, and machinery.
Further supporting the mission’s aims, the Abu Dhabi Investment Office hosted a seminar in Tokyo to showcase the emirate’s investment opportunities in key sectors. The event, attended by more than 200 Japanese executives, highlighted Abu Dhabi’s competitive advantages, including its investor-friendly regulation, tax incentives, and rapidly developing innovation ecosystem.
H.E. Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADDED, noted that the delegation’s visit to Japan marks a significant milestone in Abu Dhabi’s international economic outreach. “By fostering connections with one of the world’s most advanced industrial economies, we aim to unlock transformative partnerships that align with our ambition of building a knowledge-based, diversified economy,” Al Zaabi said.
The visit comes at a time when the UAE is actively pursuing its ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision, a national strategy that prioritises economic diversification and sustainable development. The UAE-Japan agreements are expected to contribute to this long-term strategy, opening new avenues for research collaboration, industrial innovation, and green energy transition.
The growing synergy between Abu Dhabi and Japanese stakeholders also reflects broader geopolitical dynamics, as Japan seeks to secure stable energy supplies and investment opportunities abroad, while the UAE diversifies away from hydrocarbons. Japan has already shown interest in the UAE’s burgeoning hydrogen and renewable energy sectors, with Japanese companies such as INPEX and JERA partnering with Abu Dhabi’s Masdar on clean energy ventures.
This latest round of agreements reaffirms Abu Dhabi’s status as a gateway for international businesses looking to expand into the Middle East and Africa, and underscores Japan’s commitment to strengthening economic collaboration with the Gulf region.
Official press release available at: https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/abu-dhabi-and-japan-sign-agreements-to-strengthen-partnerships-boost-bilateral-trade-and-investments-302451664.html.
