TOKYO – Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense, honored outstanding Saudi scholarship students in Japan at a reception at his residence in Tokyo on Saturday. The Crown Prince was briefed on the projects and programs showing Saudi students' participation in technological inventions, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. Addressing the students, the Crown Prince said that Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah is eager to provide scholarship opportunities to the Saudi youth everywhere in the world. “I feel happy when I see our sons and daughters pursuing postgraduate studies in various countries,” he said, adding, “Your country deserves to be served with loyalty. You are capable of that, and I wish you success.” Saudi Cultural Attaché in Japan Dr. Isam Bukhari highlighted the support and care the scholarship students in Japan get from King Abdullah and Crown Prince Salman. He also stressed the Kingdom's keenness to develop human resources. Crown Prince Salman oversaw the signing of a number of agreements to enhance bilateral security and energy cooperation during his visit to Japan. He met Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshimitsu Motegi and Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera at his residence in Tokyo on Thursday, along with ambassadors and other senior diplomatic figures from both countries. The Crown Prince described Japan as a “friend” of Saudi Arabia and said that he wished the country and its people every success. He noted the strong relations between Riyadh and Tokyo and Japan's concern for the Arab world. Earlier on Wednesday, the Crown Prince met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. He confirmed that Riyadh is committed to further strengthening bilateral ties with Tokyo. Abe said that Saudi-Japanese relations began a century ago, when a Japanese Muslim first visited Saudi Arabia to perform Haj, adding that bilateral ties had witnessed tremendous progress over the past century. “Over the next hundred years, we are determined to build a new era of relations with Saudi Arabia,” Abe added.
