President Masoud Barzani received a delegation from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs led by Masamichi Sugaya, Head of the Middle East Department, and joined by Akira Endo, Japan’s Ambassador to Iraq, along with several diplomats.
According to the readout from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the Japanese delegation congratulated President Barzani on the party’s recent success in securing more than one million votes, describing it as a clear reflection of the KDP’s standing among the people.
Furthermore, they praised the Kurdistan Region’s revival and progress as a foundation for expanding foreign investment and expressed Japan’s readiness to deepen relations across multiple fields. The delegation also voiced concern over the recent attack on the Khor Mor gas field, condemned the incident, and stressed that such attacks undermine Iraq’s and the region’s energy and economic stability.
President Barzani warmly welcomed the delegation and agreed on the importance of strengthening bilateral ties, noting the Kurdish people’s longstanding positive view of Japan, its state, and its civilization. He addressed the motives behind the Khor Mor attack and affirmed that such threats will not impede the region’s trajectory of progress.
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The Japanese delegation also met with Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.According to the KRG readout, the Japanese delegation strongly condemned the terrorist attack on the Khor Mor gas field and affirmed Japan’s readiness to enhance relations.
KRG Prime Minister Barzani highlighted the importance of the Kurdistan Region’s relations with Japan, and thanked the Japanese government for its continued support.
They also discussed the political situation in Iraq following the parliamentary elections, along with ongoing efforts and negotiations among political parties to form the new federal government.
Additionally, the delegation met with the Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, in which President Nechirvan Barzani commended the initiatives and projects undertaken by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Japanese companies, highlighting their valuable contributions to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
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The visiting delegation also expressed their readiness to further engage in reconstruction and development efforts in both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
Japan maintains strong relations with both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, recognizing the Iraqi Interim Government in 2004 and opening a consular office in Erbil in 2017. Since then, it has supported key infrastructure and capacity-building projects, including water network upgrades, agricultural export development, cultural heritage training, and tourism initiatives. JICA also financed and oversaw the Deralok Dam project in Duhok.
