Japan imports the majority of its energy resources from Middle Eastern Islamic countries, and in turn exports various Japanese goods to the region. In this way, exchange between Japan and the Middle East is thriving in the private business sector, in areas such as oil, automobiles, construction, and banking. However, much less exchange takes place between Diet members, public officials, media, NGOs and educators, with the result that little is being done to expand mutual understanding between the two countries.

At present, the countries that have the most political, economic, and cultural influence in the Middle Eastern Islamic region – as well as connections with Japan – are Iran, Turkey, Egypt and the Arab States of the Gulf. Therefore, conducting human resources exchanges with these countries would appear to be an effective strategy to advance mutual understanding with the region as a whole. Based on this reasoning, the objective of this project is to expand the base of Japan experts and pro-Japanese groups in the Middle East by inviting young and mid-career individuals from various circles in the Middle East to Japan in order that they can interact with Japanese specialists and practitioners from a variety of fields.

This project places strategic importance on the countries of Iran, Turkey, and the Gulf states, with the objective of inviting influential, mid-career politicians, officials, journalists, and representatives of NGOs to Japan to interact with Japanese specialists in a variety of fields. As regards invitations to the young generation, in August 2010, the Fund covered the cost of domestic travel for a group of visitors from Turkey and their Japanese counterparts, totaling 22 people, in support of a project marking the 120th anniversary of friendly relations between Japan and Turkey. In November 2010, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University was commissioned to invite six high school science majors and three teachers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to visit Japan. Also, students from the Middle East, two from Syria and two from Jordan, were invited to Japan. These students were selected from a pool of university and graduate school students after interviews given by the Japanese students who had visited the respective countries.