The UAE concluded negotiations on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) with Japan, deepening trade, investment, and private sector cooperation with the country.
The announcement was made during an official visit to Tokyo by Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of industry and advanced technology, and envoy of the foreign minister, accompanied by Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of foreign trade.
The agreement is expected to strengthen collaboration in advanced technology, logistics, cybersecurity, healthcare, education, research and development, innovation, smart mobility, energy security, financial services, and digital transformation.
“The successful conclusion of negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and Japan reflects the leadership’s vision to strengthen economic and trade relations with Japan and underscores the depth of the strategic partnership between our two countries,” Al Jaber said, according to state news agency WAM.
Non-oil trade between the UAE and Japan reached $20.3bn in 2025, up 16.7 per cent from 2024, with the UAE accounting for about 39 per cent of Japan’s trade with Arab and African countries.
UAE’s CEPA with Ecuador
Separately, the UAE also signed a CEPA with Ecuador during the recent state visit by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, who met with Daniel Noboa, president of Ecuador, at Carondelet Palace in Quito earlier this week.
The ceremony included the signing of a cooperation agreement between the UAE Ministry of Investment and Ecuador’s Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investments and Fisheries, as well as a memorandum of understanding between EDGE Group and Ecuador’s Ministry of National Defense for a $250m joint programme on security infrastructure.
The CEPA with Ecuador is intended to reduce tariffs, remove trade barriers, and strengthen strategic partnerships across sectors such as clean energy, advanced technology, mining, logistics, agriculture, and investment promotion.
Non-oil trade between the UAE and Ecuador reached $373.6m in 2025.
Ecuador is the fourth Latin American country to conclude a CEPA with the UAE, following Costa Rica, Chile, and Colombia, with negotiations ongoing with Peru. Development projects and cooperation agreements valued at over $3bn are under discussion, highlighting expanding bilateral economic ties.
These agreements form part of the UAE’s broader CEPA programme, launched in 2021, which now encompasses more than 35 high-growth economies and aims to enhance trade flows, investment opportunities, and private sector collaboration globally.
Read: UAE and Azerbaijan sign CEPA to boost trade, investment ties
By 2031, the UAE aims to grow the total value of its non-oil foreign trade in goods to Dhs4tn and boost non-oil exports to Dhs800bn.
CEPA agreements are designed to eliminate or reduce tariffs and customs duties, remove technical barriers to trade, enhance market access for UAE exporters, and accelerate investment into priority sectors.
