Japan's new prime minister to bolster 'cultural bridge' with UAE, ambassador says

Ties with Asian powerhouse reinforced by UAE’s popularity at Osaka Expo

Shihab Al Faheem, UAE ambassador to Japan, says relations with Japan will strengthen through cultural diplomacy, a critical part of strong economic and trade ties. Photo: UAE Pavilion Expo 2025 Osaka

Ambassador Shihab Al Faheem with an Emirati youth ambassador at the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka. Photo: UAE Pavilion Expo 2025 Osaka

Ambassador Shihab Al Faheem speaks to Japanese visitors at the UAE Pavilion at the recently concluded Osaka Expo. Photo: UAE Pavilion Expo 2025 Osaka

Ambassador Shihab Al Faheem with Emirati youth ambassadors who speak fluent Japanese and won fans and friends from the Japanese public. Photo: UAE Pavilion Expo 2025 Osaka

More than five million people visited the UAE Pavilion that was among the most visited and highly ranked among the world’s large pavilions in Osaka. Photo: UAE Pavilion Expo 2025 Osaka

The UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai provided a critical cultural bridge with Japan. Victor Besa / The National

Cultural diplomacy in the form of Japanese-speaking Emirati youth ambassadors at Expo 2025 Osaka. Victor Besa / The National

Visitors get a sense of traditional Emirati handicrafts and weaving. Victor Besa / The National

A cultural performance outside the UAE Pavilion draws crowds at the recently concluded Expo 2025 Osaka. Victor Besa / The National

Over the period of the expo, millions of people gathered in Osaka to soak in cultures from around the world. Victor Besa / The National

Children are drawn to exhibits that show the UAE's space exploration ambitions. Victor Besa / The National

A view of the UAE Pavilion from the grand ring, the world's largest wooden ring that will remain after the six-month Expo 2025 Osaka ended last week. Victor Besa / The National

Collaboration between the UAE and Japan is set to strengthen in sectors from space to sustainability. Victor Besa / The National

The UAE’s ambassador to Japan has expressed optimism on the election of Sanae Takaichi as Prime Minister, and looked forward to deepening ties and strengthening a historical partnership.

Shihab Al Faheem said the focus would remain on continuing to grow the people-to-people connection between both nations, in the wake of the assassination of then-prime minister Shinzo Abe in 2022.

“Our ties with Japan are very close,” Mr Al Faheem told The National in an interview in Abu Dhabi. "Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was part of Shinzo Abe's cabinet and Shinzo Abe was a very, very close friend of the UAE.

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“He was very closely connected to our region, especially to the President of the UAE. I think we're looking at an ever-increasing relationship with Japan. The UAE has always had a very close relationship with Japan and we congratulate her [Ms Takaichi] on this huge achievement. We are very optimistic.”

Known as the country’s “Iron Lady”, Ms Takaichi, 64, is an admirer of the former UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher and won a historic vote to become Japan’s first female leader. She is Japan’s fourth prime minister in five years and served as a minister handling telecoms policy and broadcast media regulations under Mr Abe.

Ties spanning generations

In his first interview after Osaka Expo 2025 ended last week, the UAE ambassador spoke of a "cultural bridge" with Japanese visitors, with the UAE pavilion at the world's fair ranked in the world’s top three large pavilions for architecture and landscape.

“You will not have five million visits unless you have a story to tell and for us, it’s about the UAE, our culture and heritage,” said Mr Al Faheem, who was also commissioner general of the UAE pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka.

“We were amazed to see people who had visited our Abu Dhabi pavilion in 1970 back when they were schoolkids. Today, in their early 60s, they told us they were part of a school trip to visit Expo Osaka 1970. Some of our repeat visitors actually brought pictures of that 1970 visit.”

These interactions made clear the long-lasting connections the recently concluded expo would forge with young Japanese visitors.

Abu Dhabi took part in the 1970 world’s fair before the union of the seven emirates, with a pavilion inspired by Al Ain fort. This year’s pavilion featured a date palm oasis recreated in a glass-encased pavilion that charted the UAE’s progress in space exploration and sustainability.

“When we saw schoolchildren coming in, we knew this would leave a lasting impression on them for the next 50 or 60 years, and they will come back and talk about this experience,” Mr Al Faheem said. “It was a great cultural bridge that we have with Japan.”

A team of Japanese-speaking Emirati youth ambassadors and their impressive interaction with visitors marked a milestone in cultural diplomacy.

“Our youth ambassadors were a very critical part of our success – we had 24 Emiratis and 24 Japanese – they were the ones telling the story, engaging visitors,” he said.

“You would always see a crowd around them. This was amazing because of the number of repeat visitors. Some Japanese families came back more than 30 to 40 times with their children, even when we closed on the last day. I was there when fans of our staff stayed, waiting outside until we left, and started clapping for us. It was a very emotional send off.”

Closer economic ties

Young Japanese interact with an exhibit on the space exploration ambitions of the UAE. Victor Besa / The National

The UAE will be a critical link after the success of the Dubai Expo 2020 when the world’s fair returns to the Middle East with Saudi Arabia as host.

“After this success in Expo Osaka, we will only see bigger successes in Riyadh 2030,” he said. “To have had the expo in Dubai, this link is very important, and Riyadh will showcase our legacy and our future – it will be a big milestone for us.”

Business ties in sectors from green energy to space exploration are also set to be galvanised. There has been strong collaboration with Japan, for example with the launch of KhalifaSat from Tanegashima Space Centre in 2018 and the Emirati-built Hope probe in 2020. The next tie-up will be an exploration of the Asteroid belt using Japan’s H3 rocket.

“We had businesses that shifted their annual meetings from February to May in order to visit the expo, like the Abu Dhabi Japan Joint Economic Council,” Mr Al Faheem said.

“We also had engagement in the space sector … on sustainability, we have projects with Japanese companies in waste-to-energy, solar and power generation. Japan was always a partner in traditional energy production, we are now partners in future energy production whether it's in ammonia or hydrogen.”

From Mount Fuji to sumo friendship

UAE ambassador to Japan, Shihab Al Faheem, with Emirati youth ambassadors who speak fluent Japanese, and won fans among the Japanese public. Photo: UAE Pavilion

Fluent in Japanese, Mr Al Faheem has strong ties with the country having lived in Japan more than two decades ago before he became a diplomat.

About a year after he took over as ambassador, he climbed Japan’s highest mountain, Mount Fuji, in 2021 and placed the UAE flag at the summit. He has also visited all the country’s 47 prefectures, or states, as part of an overall strategy of sustained engagement.

“I had a vision of going to visit every prefecture in Japan and it helped me understand more, especially when I meet people from different prefectures, because not only have I been there but I've eaten their food, seen the sights,” he said.

There has been a UAE tradition since 1979 of awarding a cup in the shape of a large coffee pot at sumo tournaments to support the Japanese national sport.

“On the last day of the tournament, we hand over the UAE friendship cup – it’s a big coffee pot to show our hospitality to guests,” Mr Al Faheem said. “It’s us supporting their traditional sport, celebrating their victory and bringing in our culture.”