Meeting Overview
On September 19, 2025, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held a 25-minute meeting with His Royal Highness Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain at the Prime Minister's Official Residence, followed by a 60-minute working dinner. This meeting elevated the bilateral relationship to a "strategic partnership" level.
Signed Cooperation Memorandums
Five important cooperation memorandums were signed in the presence of both leaders. These include: a bilateral Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) agreement between the Japan Patent Office and Bahrain's Ministry of Industry and Commerce; a space cooperation memorandum between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Bahrain Space Agency (BSA); a public sector human resource development cooperation memorandum between the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) and Bahrain's Civil Service Bureau (CSB); amendments to the aviation authority framework under the aviation agreement; and a digital cooperation memorandum between Japan's Digital Agency and Bahrain's Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA).
Expansion of Economic and Investment Cooperation
Prime Minister Ishiba emphasized that bilateral cooperation has expanded beyond traditional energy sectors into diverse fields including politics and security, environment, information and communications, space, and culture. He expressed expectations for progress in cooperation in clean energy and transportation sectors, and indicated that both governments will support Japanese startup companies expanding their investment operations in Bahrain. Both sides confirmed their commitment to early conclusion of the Japan-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) currently under negotiation.
Middle East Situation and Regional Peace
The leaders exchanged views on international situations including the Middle East, Europe, and the Indo-Pacific. Prime Minister Ishiba expressed deep concern about the expansion of Israel's military operations in Gaza and emphasized the importance of Palestine's sustainable existence and coexistence with Israel. Both sides agreed to cooperate toward a "two-state solution" and long-term regional peace and stability.