Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s pledge to fully support Saudi Arabia’s efforts to end its dependence on oil illustrates Japan’s policy of attaching great importance to maintaining stability in the Middle East to ensure a stable supply of energy resources from the region.

Japan’s support for Saudi Arabia was expressed in a meeting with King Salman bin Abdulaziz on Monday, underscoring the fact that Japan regards Saudi Arabia, a major power in the Middle East, as the key to maintaining stability in the region.

“Japan-Saudi Vision 2030,” the document for co-operation released by Abe and the king after the meeting, includes expanded co-operation with Saudi Arabia in a wide range of fields, such as infrastructure investment, Japanese companies advancing into Saudi Arabia and cultural exchanges.

“We would like to more aggressively develop relations with Saudi Arabia, the cornerstone of stability in the Middle East,” Abe stressed during the meeting.

King Salman expressed his approval of the document, saying that it would reinforce the strategic partnership of the two nations.

Specific projects on which the two countries plan to work together include the following: establishing a joint research group to consider listing Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, demonstration testing of desalination by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation and a Saudi public corporation and holding a “Japanese culture week” in the Saudi capital of Riyadh in April.

The Japanese government aims to contribute to the political and economic stability of Saudi Arabia by supporting the Arab nation’s efforts to free itself from dependence on oil. Tokyo regards the king’s visit as a golden opportunity as Saudi Arabia has begun to move away from its foreign policy of being totally committed to the United States, after bilateral ties deteriorated under the administration of former US President Barack Obama.

However, Japan is not the only target of Saudi Arabia’s new approach. King Salman will next visit China during his tour of Asia. “Saudi Arabia is aiming to obtain aid both from Japan and China by hedging between the two countries,” a diplomatic source said.

Friction with Iran The Japanese government is putting weight on relations with Saudi Arabia, which regards itself the leader of Sunni nations (Sunnis regard themselves as the orthodox branch of Islam), to seek stability in the entire Middle East region.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia broke off relations with Iran, a Shiite (adherent of the Shia branch of Islam) powerhouse, in January 2016, and the confrontation between the two has become a cause for instability in the Middle East.

During Monday’s meeting, Abe urged King Salman to ease the tension, saying, “Dialogue between Saudi Arabia and Iran is indispensable for the stability of the region.”

As Japan has friendly ties with Iran, the Japanese government envisages strengthening ties with both Saudi Arabia and Iran. However, the administration of US President Donald Trump is criticising the nuclear deal concluded with Iran under the initiative of Obama’s administration, thereby worsening US-Iran relations.

As a result, it has become difficult for Japan to expand its co-operation with Iran. Japan will have to keep a close eye on US moves for the time being.

SEOUL – South Korea will hold a presidential election on May 9 to replace impeached leader Park Geun-hye, who was dismissed last Friday over a corruption scandal, the Yonhap news agency reported on Wednesday.

Read also: What to know about South Korean President Park Geun Hye’s influence-peddling scandal

Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who has also been acting president since December, said earlier he would not run for president in the election.

Hwang became acting as president when parliament impeached Park in December. The Constitutional Court upheld Park’s impeachment last Friday and dismissed her from office.

Hwang had emerged in opinion polls as a top conservative candidate even though he never declared an intention to run.

334262

2016-10-29 18:47:34

Photo Gallery

The ‘female Rasputin’ at centre of S Korean President Park Geun-Hye political scandal

Source:

AFP

Reuters

• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–

351244

2016-11-06 10:08:13

Photo Gallery

Tens of thousands of South Koreans stage protest in Seoul calling for President Park Geun Hye to resign

Source:

AFP

Reuters

• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–
• 
  
  <!–

The son of a Kalasin police deputy superintendent has reportedly confessed to fatally stabbing Silpakorn University student Thirapong Thitatharn, 24, during an attack last month in the victim’s dormitory room in Phetchaburi, a police source said yesterday.

The young man, whose name was withheld, was among 16 suspects – 14 men and two women – handed over by Cha-am police to the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), which is now handling the investigation.

Deputy national police chief Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said the suspects would face additional charges of racketeering, bringing the number of criminal charges against them to five – murder, attempted murder, home intrusion with use of a weapon, assault and racketeering.

Fifteen suspects were sent to the Ratchadapisek Criminal Court where the first 12-day detention order will be applied for, while one suspect who is a minor was sent to the Juvenile and Family Court.

Two other suspects remain at large while Srivara urged them to surrender or face arrest warrants.

Pol Maj-General Suthin Sapphuang, the CSD commander, said the investigation had identified three other individuals, including a relative of a politician, who were involved in the incident but had kept a distance from the scene of the crime.

In the evening, the Court rejected a bail request of a suspect who allegedly stabbed the victim while freed on bail the other suspects with conditions that they would neither threaten witnesses nor involve with evidence.

Earlier yesterday, outspoken lawyer Songkran Achariyasap submitted evidence that allowed Srivara to file the additional charge of racketeering against the 16 suspects, two of whom are under 18.

Songkran chairs a network that monitors activity deemed detrimental to the nation, religion and the monarchy. He said the husband of a female suspect told him via a Facebook message that the female suspect was about to testify, but was allegedly stopped by one of the suspects’ parents, who ordered her not to speak to investigators.

The lawyer claimed the woman also told her husband in detail about what happened, which he relayed to Songkran.

Thirapong’s family objected to the suspects being granted bail because of fear that they could tamper with evidence and threaten witnesses, Songkran said.

Read also: Thailand seizes ivory haul from Malawi

Thirapong’s friends have applied for the Justice Ministry’s witness protection programme, after they were reportedly followed by a “suspicious” car.

Songkran said Thirapong’s mother, Areerat Chomlok, was relieved when the Forensic Police Institute’s autopsy report was in line with a previous report by Ratchaburi Hospital. They said that Thirapong died from bleeding in the brain after he was stabbed by a screwdriver.

She said she would cremate her son’s body after a 100-day merit making.

Thirapong was sleeping in his dorm with two roommates when as many as 20 assailants barged into their room and assaulted them on February 25.

Thirapong was beaten and stabbed in the head with a screwdriver. He died in Ratchaburi Hospital on March 2. His two roommates were injured in the attack.