Tokyo: Japan’s Vice Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Kato Akiyoshi and Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, who is visiting Tokyo, discussed a number of investment and trade-related issues, the latest developments regarding the second round of negotiations on the free trade agreement between the GCC and Japan, and ways to advance it to strengthen the bilateral partnership.

According to Qatar News Agency, during the meeting, the two sides emphasized that the free trade agreement between the GCC and Japan would represent a strategic step that would contribute to opening up broader horizons for trade exchange and strengthening economic ties.

Albudaiwi also addressed a number of economic indicators and statistics for the GCC countries, noting in this context that the GCC countries’ economic performance, and the sustained growth and development they are witnessing across various sectors, have contributed to strengthening their standing regionally and internationally, making them a focus of interest for many countries seeking to strengthen their economic and trade relations with them.