President Ali Abdullah Saleh second Visit to Japan (2005)

His Excellency Mr. Ali Abdullah Saleh, President of the Republic of Yemen, visited Japan from November 6 to 8, 2005, at the invitation of the Government of Japan. This was the second visit of the President as the head of State of Yemen, which follows his first visit as a guest of the Government of Japan in March, 1999, and was a good occasion to further deepen and develop the amicable relations between the two countries. During the visit, President Saleh made a state call on His Majesty the Emperor. President Saleh also held a meeting with Speaker of the House of Representatives Mr. Yohei Kono.

President Saleh and Prime Minister Mr. Junichiro Koizumi held talks and discussed a variety of issues ranging from bilateral relations to regional and international affairs. President Saleh also met members of the Japanese Parliament, the President of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and others.

At all the meetings, both the Yemeni and Japanese sides confirmed their willingness to further develop the friendly and cooperative relationship between both the two countries and the peoples. At the summit talks, both sides reaffirmed that the stability of Yemen is critical to the stability of the Arabian Peninsula. Both sides confirmed their commitment not only to strengthen the relations in the traditional forms of cooperation but also to share information and closely cooperate in such areas as poverty reduction, democratization and prevention of terror, with the support of the international community to eradicate poverty according as the Millennium Summit Declaration of 2000.

Both sides shared the view that comprehensive reform of the United Nations (UN) is important for the UN to address the new conditions of the 21st century. President Saleh renewed Yemen's support for Japan's permanent membership in the Security Council. Prime Minister Koizumi expressed his support for Yemen's successful and continuous efforts in the fight against terrorism in collaboration with the international community.

Both sides shared the view that Yemen's efforts to accelerate its poverty reduction program and democratization will lead to the eradication of the safe haven of terror and to the prevention of terrorism. To that end, the Japanese side expressed its readiness to extend assistance to achieve these goals. Yemen welcomed Japan's decision to continue the fight against terrorism through activities based upon the Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law. Both sides confirmed that non-proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and their delivery means is essential for the peace and stability of both the Middle Eastern and East Asian regions and the entire world.

Prime Minister Koizumi highly applauded Yemen's policies on economic reforms and democratization. The Japanese side expressed its support to these efforts, and expressed its hope that Yemen's economic reforms will improve the living standard of its people. The Japanese side recognizes the importance of basic education, rural water supply and health services and has proactively extended assistance to these sectors in Yemen, through its ODA utilizing such schemes as Non-Project Grant Aid and Grant Aid for Increase of Food Production (2KR). The Japanese side expressed its readiness to further support Yemen's efforts in these sectors.

In this connection, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will undertake a development study to formulate a project for rural water supply to cover designated areas in five governorates of Yemen and to improve the capacities of the local water supply authorities. JICA will also enlarge Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) dispatch program which was resumed last July. Furthermore, in view of the presidential election and local council elections which will be held nationwide in 2006, the Japanese side has expressed its readiness to consider assistance to the government of Yemen to further accelerate the democratization process in Yemen.

The Japanese side also expressed its intention to consolidate the concept of human security in Yemen, a concept which Japan takes the initiative to promote to the entire world. The Japanese side stated that it has decided to extend assistance toward the Yemen Executive Mine Action Center (YEMAC) to support the activities for clearance of land mines.

While expressing deep appreciation for Japan's assistances to Yemen to date, including debt relief, the Yemeni side explained the economic and social challenges which the country is facing as a result of the reforms made by the government of Yemen and asked for increased support from Japan.

• August 2007, Mr. Hamoud Mohammad Obad, Minister of Youth and Sports
• March 2008, Mr. Khaled Mahfoodh Bahah, Minister of Oil & Minerals

The latest important visit was the visit of Mr. Khalid Mahfoudh Bahah, Yemen’s Minister of Oil and Minerals, from 4 to 9 March 2008. During his visit he met with Mr. Amari, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry, and held extensive talks on promoting Japan’s participation in investment in oil and gas in Yemen. During his visit he held a symposium on oil and gas in Yemen, arranged by JOGMEC attended by more than twenty Japanese oil companies. Minister of Oil and Minerals Khalid Bahah called Japanese companies to benefit from the investment climate in Yemen in sphere of oil sector. Mr. Bahah invited the companies to take part in third oil, gas and minerals conference that will be held in Sana'a by the end of this year.

He visited Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' dock in Nagasaki to see construction of two LNG vessels being built for YLNG, with a full-loading capacity of around 150,000 cubic meters of LNG. Several Japanese oil companies expressed interest in participating in the forthcoming Yemen 3rd International Conference on Oil, Gas & Minerals that will take place in Sana’a late this