Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono highlighted the important role Saudi Arabia plays in the Middle East, stressing that he is keen on bolstering ties between Riyadh and Tokyo in various fields. He told Asharq Al-Awsat: “Saudi Arabia is key to the Middle East’s stability and prosperity.” He said that as foreign minister, he had paid a number of trips to the Kingdom, adding that he will continue to do his best to develop Saudi-Japanese ties. “Saudi Arabia is a very important partner with Japan and cooperation is taking place in various fields, such as trade, investment, tourism, education, infrastructure, technology and cultural exchange,” he stated. Furthermore, he remarked that the world is following with “great interest” the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 economic and social reform plan that is being led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. Japan supports the plan and will contribute in its success, Kono vowed. To that end, Japan and Saudi Arabia agreed to develop their ties into a “strategic partnership” that led to the agreement on the “Japanese-Saudi Vision 2030.” This deal will direct bilateral cooperation towards a new horizon, said the minister. The plan seeks to end dependence on oil and provide job opportunities. “This will enable us to jointly achieve reform and development,” he explained to Asharq Al-Awsat. Turning to political developments and the defeat of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, Kono said it was necessary to prevent the re-emergence of violent extremism by building tolerant societies that respect diversity. He reiterated his “Four Principles,” which he had announced during an Arab-Japanese dialogue conference that was hosted by Cairo in September. The principles, which are the basis for Tokyo’s foreign policy in the Middle East, call for intellectual and human contribution, investment in people, enduring efforts and bolstering political efforts. On Syria, he said that the conflict there was not over, despite the weakening of ISIS. He said it was necessary to encourage political processes and the national reconciliation, which will led to the establishment of a society that does not produce extremism. Kono expressed Japan’s concern over all the negative repercussions that were created by the Syrian crisis, calling on all sides to exercise the greatest level of restraint, agree to an immediate ceasefire and allow humanitarian aid to reach those in need. Moreover, he revealed that Japan recently presented new aid, worth 220 million dollars, to Syria, Iraq and neighboring countries. Since the eruption of the Syrian crisis and until 2018, Tokyo has presented 2.2 billion dollars in aid. He stressed that Japan is determined to provide the appropriate aid, hoping that all sides in Syria would exert utmost efforts to achieve peace and stability in their country. The minister expressed his deep concern over the developments in Eastern Ghouta and the ongoing Syrian regime bombardment against it that has left hundreds of civilians dead. He said that it appears that there would be no respite in the violence, despite the ceasefire agreement reached at the United Nation Security Council. Furthermore, Kono highlighted the role Japan can play in reconstructing Syria, saying that it could benefit from his country’s expertise in this domain after its defeat in World War II. He explained that despite the almost complete destruction of its infrastructure, it managed to reconstruct itself at a very fast pace and it now stands as the world’s third strongest economy. He noted that Japan helped in the rebuilding of Iraq and Afghanistan, and should Syria enter the phase of actual reconstruction, then it will be prepared to offer its help based on the lessons it learned in the past.