Qatar welcomed Japan’s decision to grant multiple entry visas to holders of Qatari passports, calling it a major step to promote interaction between the peoples of the two countries.

This was conveyed by HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani during talks with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida in Tokyo.

The Qatari minister is in Tokyo on a two-day official working visit, as part of an Asian tour that will include several countries.

The two sides also welcomed the completion of all procedures in the two countries to enforce mutual exemption of visa arrangements for the holders of Qatari diplomatic and special passports to Japan and the holders of Japanese diplomatic and official passports to Qatar soon.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman and Kishida discussed ways to strengthen relations and co-operation and to exert efforts to realise the vision of leaderships in the two countries to build a comprehensive strategic partnership between them.

The Japanese side praised the role of Qatar as a major supplier of liquefied natural gas as well as its role as a regional actor in ensuring stability in the Middle East.

Japan also expressed its desire to strengthen bilateral relations in the political, security, economic and cultural fields.

The two sides discussed a number of bilateral issues, including ways to strengthen political and security dialogue, enhance economic and investment ties and boost co-operation and co-ordination in the field of education.

They also discussed the latest developments in the Middle East and in East Asia.

Earlier in the day, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman met chairman of the General Council of Japan's ruling council Toshihiro Nikaio, who is also the president of Japanese Parliamentary Association for Friendship with Qatar.

The meeting, which was attended by a number of parliamentarians and politicians, focused on bilateral relations and means to promote bonds of friendship and activating the joint co-operation between the two countries in all fields.