Foreign Minister Taro Kono sought cooperation from his counterpart in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday to renew oil field contracts held by Japanese firms.

During a meeting in Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE's foreign minister, responded that the UAE attaches importance to relations with Japan.

About 60 percent of the oil rights owned by Japanese companies in offshore oil fields near Abu Dhabi are set to expire next March, and Tokyo hopes they will be extended as the UAE is its second-largest oil supplier after Saudi Arabia.