Japanese PM Abe leaves for Oman, Africa

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday left Japan for a week-long tour of Oman and three African countries, his first overseas trip this year. Speaking to reporters prior to the departure at Tokyo's Haneda airport, Abe said, "Africa is a frontier for the Japanese diplomacy, while the Middle East is extremely important for Japan strategically and also of grave importance to Japan's security." In Muscat, Abe plans to further strengthen and expand Japan-Oman relations, according to the Foreign Ministry. It will be the first visit to the country by a Japanese leader since 1990. Japan aims to expand its comprehensive partnership with all six Gulf states toward stability and prosperity, in which Japan is determined to play an increasing political role for the stability in the Middle East through cooperation in activities for counter-terrorism, security, assistance for regional stability and democratization, it said. Abe visited five other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states last year, to show, both domestically and internationally, the stance of his administration, which places emphasis on the Middle East, and to build comprehensive, multilayered relations with the countries in the region, according to the ministry. The GCC groups Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman. The ministry did not disclose details of his schedule in Muscat, but according to Kyodo News Agency, Abe will hold a summit with Sultan Qaboos bin Said and is expected to call for the stable supply of oil and natural gas from Oman to Japan. They will also discuss bilateral cooperation on maritime security, including antipiracy measures, it said. After Oman, Abe will also visit Cote d'Ivoire, Mozambique and Ethiopia to bolster Japan's ties with African countries before returning home on January 15th.