DUBAI: Japan Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya told a press conference on Friday that Saudi Arabia is a “major power” in the Middle East and plays a significant role in peace and stability in the region.

“Saudi Arabia is an important country for Japan, especially when it comes to energy and security. The country is an important partner,” he said.

Responding to a question about next year’s 70th anniversary celebrations between the two countries, Iwaya explained that Japan, on a broader and deeper scope, wants to “promote cooperation and understanding” with Saudi Arabia.

Iwaya said that Japan was soliciting public proposals for commemorative events between the two countries. “Between the governments, we are moving forward with certain plans,” he added.

In October, a commemorative logo was released, which features a combination of a palm tree, a symbol of Saudi Arabia, and cherry blossoms, a flower synonymous with Japan.

The foreign minister also spoke about Japanese boxing champion Naoya Inoue’s sponsorship contract with Riyadh Season.

“(The contract) is something that we should be very happy about, we are proud of this super champion. So, we hope that he will be very active and successful in Saudi Arabia as well. We welcome this,” he told the press conference.

Inoue announced the sponsorship deal in November, which is reported to be worth about $20 million. The boxing champion will have the Riyadh Season logo displayed on the branding for his fights.

During the press conference, Iwaya also announced newly designed Japanese passports in 2025 as well as Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru’s potential meeting with US president-elect Donald Trump.

• This article originally appeared on Arab News Japan

RIYADH: The UN Internet Governance Forum concluded its 19th edition on Thursday at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh.

The forum’s organizers said that the global event had focused on internet governance policies and emerging digital challenges. It had achieved the highest attendance in the history of the forum, surpassing 11,000 participants.

The forum also witnessed the launch of the Riyadh Declaration, a document which aims at strengthening international partnerships in artificial intelligence and digital technologies to serve humanity.

The event featured experts and specialists in internet technology and policy from 170 countries, with more than 1,000 international speakers contributing to over 300 sessions and workshops, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

It revolved around four main topics: innovation and risk in the digital space; development and sustainability; promoting human rights and inclusiveness; and improving the digital governance of the internet, the SPA added.