DAS Dialogue urges broader UAE-Japan partnership across investment, AI and water

AE and Japanese officials and researchers called for a UAE-Japan partnership beyond energy at the DAS Dialogue forum in Tokyo, WAM reported. Organized by TRENDS Global, the event urged cooperation in investment, advanced manufacturing, AI, water security and diplomatic coordination to turn more than six decades of ties into practical projects.

What is the DAS Dialogue UAE-Japan forum?

The DAS Dialogue is a UAE-Japan strategic forum organized by TRENDS Global, part of TRENDS Group. It is named after Das Island, where the first Abu Dhabi crude oil shipment to Japan departed in 1962. Its theme, From a Historic Energy Partnership to a Shared Future, points to broader cooperation.

Who took part in the forum?

The forum brought together senior officials, policymakers, experts, researchers, and representatives of think tanks and economic institutions from both countries. Participants said the name symbolizes more than six decades of cooperation and friendship. They also described it as the start of a new chapter of strategic partnership and economic and technological integration.

Participants stressed the need for joint industrial partnerships and innovative water initiatives. They said stronger research and economic cooperation would turn historic relations into practical and sustainable projects.

What did opening speakers say about the UAE-Japan partnership?

Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al Ali, Chairman of the Board of Directors of TRENDS Group, spoke in a recorded address. He said bilateral relations are entering a new phase, moving from traditional energy cooperation toward comprehensive strategic cooperation. He cited mutual trust and long-term vision as key to helping the relationship adapt to global changes.

He said energy, food and water security challenges make the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) an important opportunity. It can expand trade and investment, strengthen private-sector cooperation and open new markets. It can also support cooperation in advanced manufacturing, AI, the digital economy and clean energy.

Tsujii Akihiro, Assistant Vice-Minister and Deputy Director-General of the Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau at Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also spoke. He praised the continued development of bilateral relations.

What did the foreign policy session cover?

The first session was titled Foreign Policy and Strategic Cooperation: The UAE and Japan in a Changing International Order. It reviewed relations under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Initiative and its implementation framework, signed in 2022. It also examined the conclusion of CEPA negotiations in March 2026.

Speakers said both countries should build on these frameworks to expand political, security and strategic coordination. Yoshimasa Hayashi, former Japanese foreign minister and member of the House of Representatives, moderated and took part. The other speakers were:

• Fatima Al Rumaithi, Principal Researcher at TRENDS Research & Advisory
• Dr. Koji Horinouchi, Director of Research at the JIME Center of the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan
• Dr. Marwan Al Blooshi, Senior Researcher at the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research
• Dr. Amani Kobayashi, Associate Professor at Musashino University and Senior Fellow at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation’s Mediation Support Center

How can UAE-Japan trade and investment grow?

The second session was titled Trade, Investment and the Next Phase of Economic Partnership. It explored opportunities under CEPA and ways to turn them into investment, commercial and industrial partnerships. Taro Han, Vice President of Asia Group, moderated. Speakers were:

• Sogano Masafumi, Director of the Middle East and Africa Division at Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
• Mouza Al Marzouqi, Principal Researcher and Director of the Economic Studies Department at TRENDS
• Rawya Al Blooshi, Researcher at the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research

The session pointed to opportunities in AI, advanced manufacturing, critical minerals, clean energy and digital infrastructure. These would combine Japan’s technological and industrial expertise with the UAE’s investment capabilities and global logistics networks.

Participants also called for cooperation in third-country markets, particularly in Asia and Africa. Joint projects would pair Japanese industrial and technological expertise with Emirati investment and logistics capabilities.

A key proposal was to launch a joint industrial partnership within the next 12 months. It would focus on critical supply chains through a UAE-based project to manufacture strategic components. This would offer a practical model for turning bilateral understandings into tangible investments and projects.

What was proposed on UAE-Japan water security?

The third session was titled Water Security and Resilience in the Face of Global Challenges. It explored cooperation on water-resource management and sustainable solutions ahead of Abu Dhabi’s hosting of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference. Professor Kenzo Hiroki of the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies moderated.

Professor Kei Yoshimura of the University of Tokyo and Najla Al Midfa, a researcher at TRENDS Research & Advisory, also spoke. Speakers proposed:

• A joint UAE-Japan initiative on climate-resilient water, to be announced in Abu Dhabi
• Scientific cooperation on early-warning systems and cleaner desalination technologies
• Use of CEPA to support water technologies and joint projects
• Expansion of related initiatives across Asia and Africa

They said energy laid the foundations for the first 60 years of the partnership. Water, they added, could shape the next 60.

What are the key recommendations from the DAS Dialogue 2026?

The forum closed by stressing the need to turn discussions from the three sessions into actionable programs and initiatives. These would advance the partnership across political, economic, research and technological fields. Key recommendations included:

• Preparing a joint summary of policy and research priorities
• Establishing sustainable institutional links between think tanks in both countries
• Identifying joint research projects to strengthen the exchange of expertise and knowledge
• Developing practical proposals to implement CEPA and encourage private-sector participation
• Identifying joint industrial and investment opportunities
• Developing UAE-Japan water initiatives in support of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference

Participants also proposed holding the DAS Dialogue regularly, alternating between the UAE and Japan. This would keep decision-makers, researchers, experts and business institutions engaged. It would also provide a sustainable platform for following up on joint initiatives.