Saudi Gazette report

TOKYO — Prince Badr bin Abdullah, Saudi Minister of Culture, met with Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Dr. Toshiko Abe during his official visit to Japan. The visit coincides with the Marvels of Saudi Orchestra event held in Tokyo.

Prince Badr extended his congratulations to Dr. Abe on her new position and reaffirmed Saudi Arabia's participation in Expo 2025 in Osaka, emphasizing the deep-rooted ties between the two nations.

He also wished Japan success in hosting the upcoming global event.

The meeting focused on strengthening cultural collaboration through strategic initiatives across various artistic and cultural domains. Discussions included knowledge exchange on cultural regulations and organizations, heritage preservation projects — particularly digital preservation techniques— the development of cultural sectors, and art residency programs.

Additionally, both sides emphasized the importance of enhancing cooperation between Saudi Arabia’s Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission and Japanese cultural entities to provide training opportunities for Saudi students in the art of Manga comics, reflecting a growing interest in cultural cross-pollination.

The meeting was attended by Vice Minister of Culture Hamid Fayez, Assistant Minister of Culture Rakan Al-Touq, and Saudi Ambassador to Japan Dr. Ghazi Binzagr.