(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived in Amman from Cairo for a two-day visit to Jordan during which he will hold talks with King Abdullah II, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour and other officials, Ensour's office said in a statement on Saturday.
Abe, leading a large economic delegation, started a five-day trip to the Middle East yesterday by visiting Egypt; he is scheduled to travel to Israel on Monday and then to Palestine.
The trip to the region, the first by a Japanese Premier since May, 2007, aims to promote Japan's diplomacy and prod economic ties with countries of the region, the prime minister told reporters before leaving Tokyo.
Abe leads a business delegation representing nearly 50 companies; he will hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Earlier today he concluded a visit to Egypt where he held talks with President Abdelfatah Al-Sisi on the economic partnership between both countries.
At a joint press conference with Abe, Al-Sisi congratulated Abe on his reelection for a third term in office after the victory of his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in the parliamentary elections of last month.
Abe served for a year as prime minister in 2006-07 before being re-elected twice to the position in December, 2012, and December, 2014.
Al-Sisi expressed gratitude to Japan for supporting the Egyptian economy over the last decades and contributing to key projects such as rehabilitation of Cairo Opera House and the construction of the Peace Bridge - also known as the Egyptian-Japanese Friendship Bridge, over the Suez Canal.
He voiced hope that the visit of the Japanese leader will give momentum to cooperation in such areas as energy, transport, healthcare, culture, tourism, education and planning.
He added that he invited Abe to take part in the economic conference, due to take place in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh this March.
On the sidelines of Abe's visit to Egypt, the joint business forum was held with the Egyptian side being led by Assistant Minister of Investment Yasser Al-Najjar.
Speaking to reporters following the forum, Al-Najjar said his country targets attracting USD eight billion in foreign direct investment in the current fiscal year.
Out of his figure, USD five billion will be injected to the oil and gas sector and USD 1.5 billion to free investment zones, Al-Najjar said, noting that Egypt expects the GDP to grow by 3.8 percent this year.
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