Japan–Saudi Arabia Relations Stronger than Ever After 70 Years: An Interview with Ambassador Ghazi Binzagr

Celebrating 70 Years of Japan-Saudi Ties

INTERVIEWER  Next year, 2025, is the seventieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. What plans are there for commemorating the occasion?

GHAZI BINZAGR  I am personally excited that my term as ambassador in Japan is starting at such an important milestone for Japan-Saudi Arabia relations. Next year is also the Osaka Expo, which creates momentum that makes the beginning of my term in Japan very exciting.

As for how we intend to celebrate the anniversary, we are busily drafting proposals on our side and in collaboration with Japan for a range of events that tell the story of the evolution of our relationship over the last seventy years and, perhaps more excitingly, where we would like to go in the coming seven decades.

INTERVIEWER  Talking about the Osaka Expo, how is work on the Saudi pavilion coming along?

BINZAGR  We’re working very hard to make it something extraordinary that embodies the spirit of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its heritage, and its origins, as well as its future and future aspirations. The colors and design of the pavilion will reflect the desert and displays will highlight the important changes that are happening in the country since the launch of Saudi Vision 2030, which is anchored on the three important pillars of creating a prosperous economy, enabling a vibrant society, and building an ambitious nation. We also want to emphasize new opportunities alongside traditional dimensions that link Japan and Saudi Arabia, such as investment, economics, energy, and energy security. These will be underscored alongside to the exciting new possibilities for collaborations, which extend beyond economics to sports, art, culture, and civilization.

Partnering on Energy

INTERVIEWER  Technology is fundamental to tackling pressing global issues like decarbonization, access to clean water, and the transition from fossil fuels. What are areas of new and ongoing collaboration between Japan and Saudi Arabia on this front?

BINZAGR  In the field of desalinization, for example, Japan has been instrumental in providing technology that over time has made the process less costly, more efficient, and therefore more realistic to rely on as a permanent way of providing water. This highlights Japan’s strength in developing and applying technology in a pragmatic way by pursuing improvements that lead to workable solutions over time.

The vast potential for long-term partnerships with Japanese collaborators moving forward is important as Saudi looks to create energy solutions that move away from traditional petroleum to clean, renewable sources. Organizations in Japan and Saudi Arabia are collaborating on pilot programs for alternative energy and have achieved breakthroughs in lowering the costs of alternative energies, bringing them on par, and sometimes below, traditional energy sources. To me, this is really exciting as the technologies that are being developed are not just inspiring, but core to making solutions possible for the world of tomorrow that we all aspire to.

INTERVIEWER  Saudi Arabia has been a vital source of oil for Japan and other countries in Asia. As countries work to decarbonize, how is it planning to cope with the shift away from oil?

BINZAGR  Oil has long been a central aspect of our relationship with many countries worldwide, including Japan. However, we have come to recognize that economically and environmentally, dependence on oil is not sustainable. We have reframed our identity by embracing the idea that we are not an oil hub, but an energy hub to the world. This is important as it has allowed us to seamlessly incorporate alternatives to traditional energy while methodically building the viability of the alternatives into our existing internal processes, structures, and systems, enabling the energy transition to become a practical reality rather than just an ideological declaration.

Here again, our partnership with Japan has been indispensable. We both share a deep commitment to transitioning to renewable energy. At the same time, though, we both realize that it cannot be done with words alone but requires the constant tweaking of available technologies and conversion of those technologies into proper new ecosystems capable of delivering results. Take, for instance, how Japan and Saudi Arabia are partnering in developing value chains and supply chains for alternative energies like blue hydrogen and green hydrogen. The joint efforts accomplished in such domains are truly exemplary. We are just at the beginning of our journey, but I foresee a future of great potential and tangible results.

Regional Security

INTERVIEWER  Japan’s heavy dependence on oil and natural gas from the Middle East has made it wary of conflict in the region. Japan has looked to Saudi Arabia as a partner in assuring peace and regional security. How will Saudi Arabia contribute to assure such security in the long term?

BINZAGR  We believe conflicts anywhere, not just in the Middle East, if not dealt with wisely will likely escalate and cause substantial problems and damage that is detrimental to progress and the wellness of humanity. Security and prosperity are truly two sides of the same coin. Therefore, they should be understood and dealt with as such. Since launching Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia has been proactive in articulating and actioning a holistic socioeconomic path forward. It has done so internally for the Kingdom and has sought the same in the region, with the understanding that peace and prosperity are intimately tied to our own long-term survival and the survival of everyone, not just in the region, but everywhere in the world. We believe firmly that long-running conflicts, in the Middle East as well as worldwide, must be resolved fundamentally and in a fair way to all parties involved. If that doesn’t happen, then the continuation of such conflicts harms everyone.

We strive to point out that Saudi Arabia, for better or worse, sits at the middle of a very important area of the world with vital resources and great potential for regional and global development that cannot be avoided. We believe that it is in the interest of the whole globe to commit to a peaceful and prosperous Middle East that is anchored in sound fundamentals and common interests that are good for humanity in general. I must add though, at the risk of sounding a bit idealistic, that a recognition of common interests alone will not help us move toward a world that is better for all. We also need to agree on shared values that are pragmatically associated with economic sustainability, good practices of governance, and a high quality of life for citizens of the region and the world. This is true whether we are Saudis, Japanese, or any other nationality. Increasingly, Saudi Arabia and trusted partners such as Japan are working bilaterally and multilaterally to affirm such important values in our respective regions and globally. Such an approach is essential for both of us in terms of our security and long-term prosperity. We both share a deep and a strong commitment to a principled approach in global affairs.

Voicing the Saudi Perspective

INTERVIEWER  As Saudi Arabia transforms itself under Vision 2030, what message is it looking to share with the world?

BINZAGR  I have a sense of pride as a Saudi citizen to live at such times as ours, in spite of the rising number of challenges in the world. We have to believe that challenges, for those with a vision, bring opportunities. I personally feel that what underlies our approach with Vision 2030 is the desire to have what is good for Saudi Arabia to also be good for others over the long term, and to be realistic about the issues that take away from that hope. Saudi Arabia has over the years been more vocal on all matters that undermine or distract from sustainable development, such as corruption, extremism, failing to connect vision with reality, and so forth.

Extremism, for example, in all its forms and shapes, undermines healthy development in the world. It can lead to untenable positions, within nations and in international relations, that severely curtail the ability of parties to reach honorable solutions and merely leads to more finger pointing across issues and between the tribes of earth. We need to all work hard for a “productive understanding” between nations, and to be courageous in recognizing that all of us in the world must take responsibility for promoting respect for others and for agreed upon universal declarations, while also being careful to distinguish between what ought to be universal and what ought to be unique points of cultural distinction. This is central to working out fundamental solutions to problems that are causing pain and destruction in the world that is beyond justification.

Moreover, we need to nourish responsible stewardship and moral leadership and stand for values that are pragmatic in balancing ideals with reality. There is a need, for example, to champion commerce and vibrancy in our societies and communities that promote vitality and opportunity and allow us to interact with each other with respect and compassion. This view is rooted in the traditions and values of Saudi Arabia formed as much by our 1,400 years of Islamic history as our proud prehistory stretching back thousands of years before that.

We also have pride in our Arab identity that comes from our language and heritage, in addition to our proud identity as a 300-year-old monarchy, that is global in perspective yet strongly rooted in the history and traditions of the Arabian Peninsula. We are expressing all of these identities in a very powerful and effective way in our hopes and aspirations laid out in Vision 2030.

I believe what is unique at this historic juncture on our path for transformation is our attempt to use cutting-edge thinking to blend tradition and identity with dreams and visions applied within practical, pragmatic structures and processes to meet our goals and aspirations. We are also being proactive with other nations in promoting partnerships through mutually beneficial initiatives and are drafting agreements with our strategic partners and setting up strategic councils to encourage dialogue on equal footing, thus ensuring that whatever gains are made are not just momentary but continue to bring benefit going forward to the Kingdom, our partners, and the globe.

Empowering Saudi Women

INTERVIEWER  Japan faces a number of challenges related to gender equality. What lessons can Saudi Arabia provide with its recent policies for empowering women?

BINZAGR  I would humbly insist that we can learn from each other on how we progress forward and share areas of strengths with each other. For example, in Japan, as in Saudi Arabia, safety and order are very important. At the same time we both value progress. I have come to admire how many schoolchildren in Tokyo travel to their schools unaccompanied. It is truly remarkable. It probably does not happen in many mega cities in the world as it happens in a large city like Tokyo. This is a phenomenon that we all should humbly learn from.

However, on the question of the participation of women in society, Saudi Arabia has made incredible progress in a very short time in placing women in decisively important roles at work and in society. Everything we do, including how we approach gender, is anchored in the three pillars of our national Vision 2030. The genesis for it is the belief that we need everyone to be involved in society so that every citizen can make the most of their abilities.

There is a tendency for analyst from the outside to emphasize certain factors, but it is important to recognize the story of how we ourselves view our social issues. One cannot say that just because something happened in another country that those rules and regulations should be imposed on any other country. In empowering citizens, one must honor the journey of where we came from and where we are heading, while ensuring that we strive to correct our mistakes and that anyone who has been disadvantaged can now find the opportunity to move forward.

INTERVIEWER  Finally, is there a message that you would like to share with the people of Japan?

BINZAGR  I’d like the wonderful people of Japan to know that Saudi Arabia is now open for visitors like never before, and that it welcomes individuals from every generation to come and experience the soul of our country. I’m hoping that people will forge friendship and enjoy the process of getting to know us and learn and enjoy our ways and culture. I think more than ever, now is the time to come visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

(Originally written in English based on a July 18, 2024, interview at the Nippon.com office in Tokyo. Interviewer Akasaka Kiyotaka is president of the Nippon Communications Foundation. All photos © Nippon.com.)