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JAPAN-SAUDI-UAE-OMAN-IRAN-US-DIPLOMACY
Japan’s Abe heading to Middle East to urge calm
TOKYO, Jan 10, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will
visit the Middle East from Saturday, hoping to ease soaring regional tensions
after the US killing of a top Iranian general.
The trip had been thrown into doubt after Tehran responded to the attack
on Qasem Soleimani by launching a barrage of missiles at bases hosting
American troops in Iraq, prompting fears of an all-out war.
But Japanese government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said Friday that the
January 11-15 trip to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman would
go ahead, with Abe also seeking to explain Tokyo’s decision to deploy a
military vessel and two patrol planes to the region to “ensure safety of
Japan-related vessels”.
With fears of a full-blown conflict receding — despite a passenger plane
crash that may have been caused by an Iranian missile — the Japanese leader
has decided to proceed with the visit.
“To avoid further escalation of the tense situation in the Middle East,
(Abe) will exchange opinions with the three countries”, Suga said.
“In each of the countries, we plan to ask for cooperation in ensuring a
stable energy supply and the safety of vessels.”
Last month, Japan said it would send a destroyer for intelligence
activities along with two P-3C patrol aircraft to the Middle East but will
not join a US-led coalition in the region.
Japan has walked a fine line in balancing its key alliance with Washington
and its longstanding relations and interests with Iran.
It was formerly a major buyer of Iranian crude but stopped purchases to
comply with US sanctions imposed after Washington unilaterally quit the
nuclear deal in May 2018.
Abe has in recent months tried to carve out a role as mediator between
Japan’s US ally and Iran, visiting Tehran and receiving President Hassan
Rouhani in Tokyo in December.
BSS/AFP/BZC/1345HRS