Newsletter No. 665
Information-Announcement
July 4, 2007

 

AMAZING ARABS ! -- A TELEVISION PROGRAM ON JAPAN AND THE UAE

Muhammad Yusuf (Shingetsu Member No. 142) of The Gulf Today newspaper in Sharjah has been involved in a new project in which a special TV program on Japan-UAE relations will be broadcast later this month. For those of you in Japan, it will appear on the CS channel “Nikkei CNBC.” Below are two press releases:

In response, Yamasaki said “an additional mission in connection with the Afghanistan operations would be difficult, noting that the special law authorizing the dispatch of MSDF vessels will expire in November.”

Press Release: Far East Meets Middle East

A team from Production TV Tokyo Production (PROTX) was in Dubai between June 15-25, 2007, on behalf of Nikkei CNBC Corporation (NCNBC) to complete the shooting of a special TV program that focuses on Middle East-Japanese relations in general, and UAE-Japanese relations in particular.

The program, entitled “Amazing Arabs! The Corporate Nation” will be telecast globally on July 16, 2007, between 20.00-21.00 hours, and rebroadcast on July 22, 2007, between 11.00-12.00 hours, subject to dates and time zones. It highlights the economic development of the UAE, particularly Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and has a strong cultural component. It is sponsored by Ks Holding Co. Ltd., specialists in foreign real estate investment and technology transfer consulting. The company promotes business exchanges between Japan and countries of the Middle East.

The program is anchored by Al Moamen Abdalla, who gives an insightful report on the region’s economic situation with a reference to Arab and Islamic culture. He bases his report on the economic relations between Japan and the Arab World and introduces Arab and Islamic culture, business practices, and the environment and natural beauty of the land, which may be largely unfamiliar to the Japanese.

In the course of the report, Abdalla interviews ambassadors of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the Gulf countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, visits the Palm Island, Jumeirah, which is a hotel built right inside the coastal waters of the Arabian Gulf, reports from the ever-busy Dubai International Airport (28.8 million passengers per year), talks live from the construction site of an undersea tunnel and monorail station being built by Dubai branch of the Taisei Corporation, Japan, interviews the Vice-President of the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (Dubai’s biggest free trade zone) Ibrahim Al-Janahi, goes one-on-one with multi-cultural visitors and guests at Dubai Icon Emirates Towers, and gets inside views of Middle East-Japanese relations by interviewing the Saudi Arabian, Egyptian, Qatari, Bahraini, and Omani ambassadors to Japan.

UAE-Japanese relations are also emphasized. Japan imports 25% of its entire crude supply from the UAE. Japanese companies are also intensely involved in developing oil fields in Abu Dhabi. The program focuses on Abu Dhabi’s upcoming free trade zone called the Zone Corp. and the mangrove planting project of the Japan Oil Development Co. Ltd. (JODCO) in the Emirates.

The camera pans over local landmarks like Dubai Industrial City, Dubai Healthcare City, and Dubai Sports City, gives overviews of real estate majors like Nakheel and Emaar, has sessions with Japanese companies operating in the UAE, and looks closely at the work of UAE Minister for Economy Lubna Al-Qasimi, among others. Experts from the energy sector also give their views on the oil industry.

There is a feeling that the image the Japanese have of the Middle East is limited to oil, natural gas industries, and the Iraq War. While there is no doubt that there is a large number of huge projects and infrastructure development in the Middle East with a backdrop of oil money (according to the Japan Center for International Finance assessment, US$1,200 billion of capital is being managed; 30% of the total cranes of the world are in Dubai), the program also presents the daily lives of locals. It captures such UAE symbols like Jumeirah Beach, Bastakia Heritage Area, seven-star deluxe hotels like Madinat Jumeirah and Burj Al-Arab, and takes a look at the Burj Dubai, slated to be the world’s tallest free standing structure when completed, with hotels, residences and offices.

“Amazing Arabs! The Corporate Nation” also discusses relevant issues like, how will oil money be managed in the future? What happens when the oil runs out? In short, as Abdalla says, “this program will give a better understanding of Arab society. It introduces the ever-changing Arab and Islamic society to Japanese people.”

Audiences, and not only in the Middle East and Japan, are most welcome to watch the growing synergy between the Middle East and Japan.

Press Release: Regarding Ks Holding Co. Ltd.

Ks Holding Co. Ltd. is a professional consulting firm established to promote ongoing business exchanges between Japan and the countries of the Middle East.

Our mission is to provide comprehensive skilled professional support to Japanese high-tech companies who aspire to expand their operations into the Middle East, and Japanese investors who desire to invest in real estate and other development projects in the region. Unfortunately, however, the fact is Japanese investors reveal a distinct lack of understanding and appreciation of Middle Eastern culture and its environment. In spite of the many business opportunities in the Middle East that companies from all over the world has taken advantage of, the expansion of Japanese enterprises into the region has been limited to oil, LNG, general contracting and finance.

Considering that the Middle Eastern countries are the best business partner for Japan, Ks Holding Co. Ltd. would like to inform you of the various and numerous benefits available to Japanese companies who expand their operations into Dubai Industrial City and the Zone Corp. in Abu Dhabi.

The region garners world attention because of its economic and commercial tax benefits, geographical advantage in marketing to European countries, reasonable material procurement, capable labor force, and accessibility to airport and seaport facilities.

Our planned coverage will inform Japanese viewers of the expectations the Middle Eastern people have for Japan and the history and culture of the region, its current social conditions as well as the popular sightseeing spots, all as part of our company’s first step in building a friendly and solid business relationship between the Middle Eastern countries and Japan.

Moreover, we are arranging and coordinating a weekly television broadcast of useful information regarding the conditions for business as well as the state of affairs for real estate investment in the Middle East.

We sincerely appreciate your cooperation and patronage in this effort.