AMMAN (JT) — Their Majesties King Abdullah and Queen Rania will visit Japan this week, where they will meet with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.

During the December 20 visit, the King will also hold talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Foreign Minister Aso Taro on ways to boost cooperation between the two countries and discuss recent developments in the Middle East.

The Jordan News Agency, Petra, quoted a Palace official as saying the King’s visit comes at a time when developments are accelerating in the Middle East, a matter which accentuates the need for further cooperation between Jordan and decision-making capitals to bring peace and stability to the region.

The King is also due to deliver a speech at the Japan Institute of International Affairs, an independent academic institution affiliated to the Japanese ministry of foreign affairs and the “source of authoritative interpretations of Japanese foreign policy,” according to its website. The speech will focus on regional and international challenges.

As customary in all his visits abroad, the King will acquaint the business community on investment opportunities in Jordan and meet leaders of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), an independent administrative institution established in 1974 to contribute to economic and social advancement in developing countries.

JICA’s Jordan office has been active in contributing to the social and economic development of the country since its establishment in 1991. The year 2005 marked the 20th anniversary of the conclusion of the Technical Cooperation Agreement between the two sides.

In late November, Japan announced it would open a representative office for the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) in Amman.

The JBIC is a policy based financial institution established in 1999 to undertake the lending and financial operations of Japan abroad.

According to official Japanese sources, the east Asian country has extended loans, through the JBIC and its predecessor the overseas economic cooperation operations, to a value of $2.2 billion to Jordan since 1974.

Over the past five years alone, assistance has exceeded $316 million, of which more than $256 million was in the form of grants, funding various key development projects in the areas of health, water, environment, industry, information technology and general safety.

Meanwhile, the JBIC allocated $60 million in the form of soft loans to fund tourism development projects.

Japan has recently focused on NGOs that deal directly with grassroots projects through the Japanese Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects.

Jordan imported from Japan last year goods worth $296 million, while the country’s exports stood at $26.2 million. In addition, Jordan’s debt to Japan totals $1.5 billion, constituting 21 per cent of the Kingdom’s total foreign debt.

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