The seizure of two Japanese nationals by the Islamic State militant group is raising questions about Japan's Middle East policies and the effectiveness of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's brand of personal diplomacy.
Also in the spotlight is whether it can walk a fine line between supporting the United States while convincing the Arab world that it remains an important friend who can serve as an honest and independent broker in the international arena.
The Middle East's importance to Japan starts with energy relations. The Agency of Natural Resources and Energy's 2014 white paper notes that in the 2012 fiscal year, more than 80 percent of Japan's crude oil was imported from seven Middle Eastern countries. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates accounted for over half of this amount.
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