Qatar-Japan relations “will never change” despite the economic blockade, according to a former official of Chubu Electric Power, who lauded Qatar’s “stable supply” of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the East Asian nation.
Speaking in a meeting at the headquarters of the Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah International Foundation for Energy and Sustainable Development yesterday, Chubu Electric Power honorary adviser Toshio Mita said Japan and Qatar will continue to strengthen its economic and trade relationships amid “current circumstances.”
“I want to inform you directly that whatever happens, friendship with your country and Japan-Qatar Friendship Association (JQFA), as well as Chubu Electric Power will never change.
“And I am in the position as chairman of Japan-Qatar Friendship Association and also honorary adviser to Chubu Electric Power to express sincerity in the development of our friendship,” Mita assured HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, chairman of the Al-Attiyah Foundation.
For his part, al-Attiyah, who is also chairman of the JQFA (Qatar side), said Qatar and Japan have also strengthened relationships in other areas aside from energy supply.
“Since Qatar’s first-ever delivery of LNG to Japan in 1997 both countries have continuously strengthened their relationship, not only in the supply of LNG but also in areas such as culture and the arts, as well as recreation and education,” he said, citing the establishment of Japanese international school, The Japan School of Doha.
“I can promise you that we will work very closely and I hope that next year that the next meeting of the Japan-Qatar Friendship Association will be held in Japan,” al-Attiyah pointed out.
During the meeting, al-Attiyah also spoke on the current economic blockade imposed on Qatar by siege countries led by Saudi Arabia, and stressed that Qatar will not allow politics to interfere with its energy supply contracts with other nations.
“Qatar is a country that sends LNG to the whole world and we respect our contracts and we will always respect our contracts…we never mix politics with our contracts,” he stressed.
Al-Attiyah also emphasised on the strength of Qatar’s economy amid a sea, land, and air blockade.
“We used to import many products from Saudi Arabia and the UAE but now we have switched (to other countries)…today, the Qatari economy is very strong; it is the best economy in the Middle East. We have never been affected even if the siege countries try to portray a negative image of Qatar,” he said.
He added: “We have learned a lot from the crisis and even after the crisis, we will never go back and we will be independent from them (siege countries). Now we have opened our market to the whole world and we have a lot of food varieties. We are expanding our dairy production and livestock, as well as our vegetable and agriculture industry.”
HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, chairman of the Al-Attiyah Foundation (left), and Chubu Electric Power honorary adviser Toshio Mita. PICTURES: Shemeer Rasheed
