Juma Mohammed Al Kit, Assistant Under-Secretary of UAE Ministry of Economy for Foreign Trade, has discussed with a delegation from the Central Office of Japan External Trade Organisation, JETRO, in a meeting held at the Ministry's headquarters in Abu Dhabi, ways to enhance trade and investment relations and promote communication between the business community in the two countries.

The Japanese delegation included Masayoshi Watanabe, the former Managing Director of JETRO Dubai & MENA, the Central Office of Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) for the Middle East and North Africa Region, and Masami, who will be the new Director of the Regional Office in Dubai.

Al Kit commended the distinguished efforts of Watanabe during his tenure in Dubai that contributed to the development of trade and investment relations between the UAE and Japan, which saw remarkable developments during the past period.

He stressed the UAE's keenness to strengthen the partnership with Japan by working to increase trade exchange and investment cooperation and focus on the importance of the role played by the private sector in promoting the trade exchange between them.

Al Kit said that the relationship between the UAE and Japan witnessed significant developments over the past few years, citing that Japan is among the top five trade partners of the UAE and the volume of the non-oil trade touched $14 billion dollars at the end of 2014. The figures reflect the depth and strong commercial relationship between the two countries.

He called on the Japanese side to intensify the presence of the Japanese private sector in various trade and investment events, which are held in the country. They provide an opportunity to meet with investors from around the world to discuss the areas of partnership, cooperation and investment.

For his part, the Japanese official praised the level of relations between the two friendly countries and the efforts of sustainable development in the UAE, noting the keenness of the Government of Japan to promote trade and investment cooperation with the UAE. He also underlined the importance of development of communication and cooperation between the public and private sectors of the two sides to enhance trade and investment relations.