Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday left for a five-day tour of the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Palestine and Israel, in a trip aimed at bolstering cooperation with the region over energy and the Middle East peace process.
"I intend to work for the Middle East peace process by engaging with both Israel and Palestine in a constructive manner," Abe told reporters before leaving from Tokyo's Haneda airport.
According to government officials, Abe is set to become the first leader of a major power, including among the Group of Seven industrialized countries, to visit both Israel and Palestine after U.S. President Donald Trump announced in December Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.