The United Arab Emirates and Japan have concluded negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), marking Japan’s first such deal with an Arab country. The agreement aims to deepen trade, investment and collaboration in advanced industries, technology and resilient supply chains.
Bilateral non-oil trade between the two countries reached USD 20.3 billion in 2025, up 16.7% year-on-year. The UAE is Japan’s largest trading partner across the Middle East and Africa, accounting for 39% of its regional trade.
The deal forms part of the UAE’s expanding CEPA programme, launched in 2021 to strengthen global trade links. Officials say the agreement will remove trade barriers, accelerate investment flows and open new opportunities for private-sector innovation in both economies.
Gulf Economist Staff Writer