King Salman begins three-day visit to Japan

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has arrived in Japan for a three-day visit as part of his month-long Asian tour, state-owned Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Sunday.

King Salman will explore potential investment opportunities and strengthen energy, security and commercial ties with Tokyo, it was reported.

The Saudi monarch will also meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday to discuss regional conflicts.

The king began his visit to Asia in Malaysia on Feb. 26 to strengthen mutual relations and attract more investments to the world’s largest oil exporter.

During the Malaysian leg of the tour, Saudi Aramco agreed to buy a stake worth $7 billion in an oil refinery in Johor, which will be built by state-run energy firm Petronas.

On March 1, the Saudi king arrived in Indonesia, where several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were inked in the fields of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), healthcare services, air cargo and freight, and fish resources.

Both countries have also agreed that the Saudi Fund for Development will help finance several development projects in Indonesia. 

Another stopover was Brunei, where the Saudi king inked a bilateral agreement in the fields of economy, investment, education, culture, youth and sports.

King Salman’s tour will also include China and the Maldives, with a visit to Jordan planned on his way back to the Middle East.