UAE and Japan Forge Deepened Industrial and Technological Partnership
A significant working visit to Japan has strengthened cooperation between the Emirates and the Land of the Rising Sun, with particular emphasis on artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and the application of scientific research to industrial advancement.
The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology has concluded a purposeful working visit to Japan, establishing frameworks for enhanced cooperation across industry, technology and artificial intelligence. The delegation, led by Hasan Jasem Al Nowais, Undersecretary of the Ministry, engaged in substantive discussions across Tokyo and Kyoto, bringing together officials and representatives from both the public and private sectors of both nations.
The Tokyo phase of the visit centred upon the UAE–Japan Technology and Artificial Intelligence Roundtable, where participants explored avenues for strengthening industrial partnerships and accelerating the adoption of sophisticated technologies. Particular attention was devoted to artificial intelligence, robotics, automation, digital manufacturing and precision manufacturing as catalysts for enhancing productivity, quality and sustainability across manufacturing operations.
The Kyoto meetings of the 23rd Science and Technology in Society Forum Ministerial Roundtable pursued a complementary agenda, fostering dialogue between academic research institutions and industrial enterprises. The objective was to establish meaningful pathways through which scientific advances and research discoveries might be translated into practical, real-world applications within manufacturing environments, transforming theoretical innovations into solutions addressing genuine factory requirements and production challenges.
The UAE’s industrial ecosystem offers a distinctive platform for piloting, deploying and scaling technology-driven solutions. Factory Forward UAE, a unified initiative connecting technology providers with manufacturers, creates opportunities to test and adopt promising innovations whilst international partnerships and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements provide manufacturers with pathways to expand into global markets.
Al Nowais emphasised the historical significance and enduring nature of the UAE–Japan economic relationship, describing it as a long-standing partnership encompassing broad cooperation across numerous sectors. He highlighted the considerable potential for deepening industrial and technological collaboration, exchanging expertise, fostering innovation and enhancing industrial competitiveness through direct partnerships between technology providers and UAE manufacturers.
Priority areas identified include the development of pilot projects utilising advanced industrial solutions, including artificial intelligence-powered quality inspection and predictive maintenance systems, alongside comprehensive skill development initiatives and accelerated adoption of advanced technologies throughout the industrial sector. Factory Forward UAE provides the structural foundation through which these partnerships may be realised as tangible outcomes.
The visit extended an invitation to Japanese companies, investors and industrial leaders to participate in Make it in the Emirates, an international event scheduled for Abu Dhabi from 3rd to 6th May 2027.
Source: WAM