AL-ULA — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his accompanying delegation visited Madain Saleh (Al-Hijr City) in Al-Ula governorate on Monday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Upon arrival, they were received by Prince Badr Bin Abdullah Bin Farhan, minister of culture and governor of Royal Commission for Al-Ula, Minister of Economy and Planning and head of the Saudi side at Joint Group for Saudi-Japan Vision 2030, Mohammed Bin Maziad Al-Tuwaijri and Chief Executive Officer at The Royal Commission for Al-Ula Amr Al-Madani.

Abe was briefed on many archaeological and historical monuments.

Earlier, the premier said in a tweet: "I sincerely appreciate the warm-hearted traditional hospitality extended to me in a tent on the sands of Al-Ula, home to a World Heritage Site." — SPA