Prime Minister Shinzo Abe departed from Tokyo on Saturday to visit three Middle East countries, amid mounting tensions between the United States and Iran.
Abe will visit Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman to seek their understanding of his government's decision to send Maritime Self-Defense Force personnel to the Middle East to gather information in the region.
"All the countries [I will visit] have great influence on the region," Abe told reporters before departing in a government plane from Haneda Airport in Tokyo. "[Japan] will tenaciously make efforts for a peace-oriented diplomacy that only Japan can do, calling on [all the countries concerned] for dialogue and self-restraint in responses."
The prime minister also stressed the significance of dispatching MSDF personnel to the Middle East.
"Japan relies on much of the energy resources on this region," he said. "It's extremely important for Japan to ensure safety in navigation [in the waters of the region] for vessels related to our country. We need to beef up our capability for intelligence gathering."
Abe will meet with Saudi Arabia's King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday. He will then have talks with leaders in the UAE on Monday and in Oman on Tuesday, before flying back home the following day.
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