Today, Tuesday, King Abdullah II urged the international community to stand against measures that undermine the historical and legal status quo in the holy sites in Jerusalem and incite violence in the Palestinian territories.

In joint press statements with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, following bilateral and expanded discussions, the Palestinian issue was at the fore, the King stressed the urgent need to stop all unilateral measures that violate the historical and legal status quo in Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

In the presence of Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II, the Crown Prince, the king stressed that “this is a prerequisite for stopping the dangerous escalation, working towards calm, and creating a political horizon that would preserve the chances of a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution.”

He continued: “Let us all remember that peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis is an integral part of prosperity and peace for the entire region and all its peoples,” expressing his thanks to the Prime Minister for Japan’s clear position in this regard.

The king referred to Japan’s leading voice in calling for peace in the Middle East, especially through the “Corridor for Peace and Prosperity” initiative.

He also touched on the Jordanian-Japanese partnership, saying, “We are proud of the level of strong cooperation and close coordination between us, and we look forward to celebrating the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Jordan and Japan next year.”

The King affirmed that Japan has always stood by Jordan, and it remains a major partner and the Kingdom is moving forward in economic modernization, expressing his thanks for the continuous development support provided by Japan.

He pointed to opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation and with the region in promising sectors, such as tourism, education, communications, information technology, and water and food security.

The king stressed that the partnership between the two countries stems from a common belief in the importance of working to achieve stability in the world, and extends to cooperation in the defense field and combating terrorism, especially through the Aqaba meetings initiative.

For his part, the Japanese Prime Minister shared His Majesty’s concern about the situation in the Palestinian territories during their discussion of the latest developments in the Middle East.
Kishida called for exercising restraint and stopping unilateral measures that undermine the two-state solution, in order to avoid a further deterioration in the situation.
The Japanese Prime Minister considered that Jordan’s role in the Hashemite Custodianship of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem is “extremely important,” expressing his deep respect for His Majesty the King’s leadership and his efforts to reduce tension in the region.
Kishida stressed that Japan will strengthen its initiatives, which include the Peace and Prosperity Corridor initiative, to contribute to building confidence between the two parties.
The Japanese prime minister indicated that Jordan is the cornerstone of peace and stability in the Middle East, and one of Japan’s most important partners in the region, adding, “I would like to express my deep appreciation to His Majesty the King, who constantly seeks to develop Jordan and works to find solutions to regional challenges.”
Kishida indicated that the talks with the King touched on various issues, including strengthening cooperation in all fields, especially economic and security, and it was also agreed to deepen the strategic bilateral partnership and cooperation in the international arena.

In the economic field, the Japanese Prime Minister pointed out that a program was signed that will contribute to finding solutions to the water scarcity facing Jordan through a grant for the national desalination carrier project from Aqaba to Amman, stressing that his country will move forward with its support for development in Jordan.

The Japanese Prime Minister indicated that it was agreed to launch a bilateral consultation program for cybersecurity, and to enhance bilateral security and defense cooperation, including cooperation between the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the Jordanian Armed Forces.

Kishida indicated that he and the King exchanged views on the latest international developments, including East Asia and Ukraine, pointing out that Japan will continue to work closely with Jordan, as it is a partner for his country in preserving the international order.

The Japanese Prime Minister touched on his country’s new plans within the initiative of the free and open Indo-Pacific region, which was announced recently.

Kishida referred to the support expressed by the King during the talks for the international system based on the rule of law, in addition to his support for efforts for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indian and Pacific Oceans region, expressing his high appreciation to the King in this regard.

In the presence of the King and the Japanese Prime Minister, an exchange of memorandums was signed between the Jordanian and Japanese governments regarding the provision of a grant to Jordan in the amount of (713) million Japanese yen (equivalent to about 5.2 million US dollars), for the purposes of financing the purchase of devices and equipment for the Aqaba-Amman water transportation and desalination project (the national carrier). water), as part of the economic and social development program.

The talks were attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs Ayman Safadi, Director of the King’s Office, Dr. Jaafar Hassan, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Zina Toukan, Jordanian Ambassador to Tokyo Lina Annab, and a number of senior Japanese officials.

Upon his arrival at the Prime Minister’s headquarters in Tokyo, the King was given an official reception ceremony.