Qatari nationals will receive free registration certificates that are good for three years in order to avoid the need for a visa.
Qatar and Japan exchanged official memoranda on Thursday to begin the process of mutual visa exemption for holders of regular passports in the two countries.
The signing occurred at the headquarters of the foreign ministry in Tokyo by Qatar envoy to Japan, Hassan bin Mohammed Rafea Al Emadi and the assistant foreign minister and director-general of the department responsible for the Middle East and Africa, Nagaoka Kansuke.
The move, scheduled to take effect from 2 April, allows holders of ordinary Qatari passports who intend to remain in Japan for a period not exceeding thirty consecutive days to visit Japan without acquiring a visa.
Qatari nationals will receive free registration certificates that are good for three years in order to avoid the need for a visa.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Dr Majed bin Mohammad Al Ansari said that expanding the scope of cooperation between the two countries in all areas has been given a special importance in the strategic dialogue between Qatar and Japan.
He made this statement on Thursday at the weekly media briefing organised at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ headquarters. He also noted that the next round of the strategic dialogue is scheduled to take place in Doha.
Doha and Tokyo have long enjoyed relations in multiple sectors, the most robust of which involves liquified natural gas (LNG).
Qatar and Japan’s LNG relations
Qatar is one of Japan’s biggest sources of LNG imports, alongside Russia, Australia and Malaysia.
In April 2022, Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida confirmed their cooperation in stabilising energy markets, amid the insecurity the Russian invasion of Ukraine unravelled onto the market.
With energy security becoming a rising international concern as the war persists between Moscow and Kyiv, Japan and Qatar confirmed their firm stance in maintaining close coordination as a response to the situation.
The prime minister expressed his “hopes” for Doha’s contributions and affirmed that both countries will provide joint efforts in contributing to the stabilisation of the international energy market.
