Japan

Japan is the largest investor in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ahead of USA, and European countries

Saudi Arabia is Japan’s gateway to the Middle East market and Saudi Arabia and Japan has enjoyed very friendly and successful relationship for a long time. Saudi Arabia has known as the biggest oil export country among OPEC countries for Japanese people. Saudi Arabia is Japan’s 5th largest trading partner followed by USA, China, Korea, Thailand.

Recently, Saudi Arabia is promoting its free market economy by privatizing major state enterprises, establishing regulatory authorities to carry out reforms, improving foreign investment laws, revising a broad range of commercial laws and implementing intellectual property rights to foster innovation in order to increase foreign investments, certainly further investment from Japan.

List of top companies in Saudi Arabia:

• Sumitomo Chemical: http://www.sumitomo-chem.co.jp/english/
• Mitsubishi Chemical: http://www.m-kagaku.co.jp/index_en.htm
• Mitsubishi Corp: http://www.mitsubishicorp.com/en/index.html
• Mitsui & Co: http://www.mitsui.co.jp/en/
• Itochu: http://www.itochu.co.jp/main/index_e.html
• Marubeni: http://www.marubeni.com/
• Sojitz: http://www.sojitz.com/en/
• JGC: http://www.jgc.co.jp/
• NEC: http://www.nec.com/
• Mitsuishi Electrics: http://www.mitsubishielectric.com/
• Sasakura: http://www.sasakura.co.jp/index2.html
• Unicharm: http://www.unicharm.co.jp/english
• Fujitec: http://www.fujitec.com/
• Xenesys:http://www.xenesys.com/english/index.html
• Orix: http://www.orix.co.jp/grp/index_e.htm

Trade and economic relations between Saudi Arabia and Japan:

Key factors

• Japan: Third largest trade partner for KSA
• KSA’s export to Japan: Mostly crude oil
• KSA’s import from Japan (10% of total import (2004)): Cars (57%), machines, electronics, metals, tires. Etc
• 2006, total volume of trade between Japan and Saudi Arabia is $ 41.86 billion USD, compare to that of 2005 ($32.93 billion USD) has increased by 27%.

Success stories:

2006, Japan provided US$ 3.5bn of foreign direct investment into Saudi Arabia, 19% of the total.  In April, Mr. Shinzo Abe,Prime Minister of Japan held meetings with His Majesty King Abdullah and the Crown Prince, HRH Prince Sultan to discuss the great development of bilateral relations between the two countries. The leaders of both countries, in collaboration with the private sectors, have started an active initiative to establish a pertinent and specialized Joint Task Force (JTF)  with the objectives of facilitating Japan’s long-term strategic industrial investment opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, making the best use of resources available in both countries including financial, institutional resources, technologies, and human resources

Land mark projects

1. Petro-Rabigh Project: (US$9.8 billion)
   -JV between Saudi Aramco & Sumitomo Chemical
2. SHARQ Project: One of the world largest ethylene glycol and polyethylene production projects, 1.89 Billion SR (Capital)
3. AR-Razi (Japan Saudi Metonol) 250milion SR (Capital)

Cultural information:

Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Tokyo

1-8-4 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032 JAPAN
TEL: +81-(0)3-3589-5241

FAX: +81-(0)3589-5200
His Excellency Dr. Abdulaziz A. Turkistani, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary,
Mr. Sagr S. Al-Qurashi, Second Secretary, Political and Economic
Mr. Muhammad Al-Jandol, Commercial Attaché

Commercial Office  (Mr. Muhammad Al-Jandol, Commercial Attaché)
1-8-4 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032 JAPAN
TEL: +81-(0)3-3589-2331

FAX: +81-(0)3-3589-2333
E-mail: commercial@saudiembassy.or.jp

Cultural Office (Dr. Essam Bukhary, Cultural Attaché)
Nakano Asahi Bldg. 2-27-3, Chuo, Nakano-ku, Tokyo
TEL: +81-(0)3-5348-3011

FAX: +81-(0)3-5348-3012
E-mail: info@saudiculture.jp

Arabic Islamic Institute (Dr. Muhammad H. Al-Zeer, Director)
3-4-18 Moto-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0046 JAPAN
TEL: +81-(0)3-3404-6622

FAX: +81-(0)3-5412-0551
E-mail: info@aii-t.org