Japanese FM leaves for Mideast to promote peace process

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida left Tuesday for a five-day visit to Israel, Palestine and Jordan to contribute to the Middle East peace process and promote the Tokyo-led Middle East initiative. On Thursday, Kishida will host four-way ministerial-level talks among Japan, Israel, Palestine and Jordan in the West Bank to discuss the Japan-proposed initiative, dubbed the "Corridor for Peace and Prosperity," which aims at helping achieve peace in the Middle East through economic independence of the Palestinians. The project includes construction of the agro-industrial park with modern distribution facilities in the region. As a major aid donor to the Palestinians, Japan has been eager to play a role as a mediator in the Middle East peace process and to bring development and stability to the region. The meeting will be held for the first time since Japan hosted the similar one in Tokyo in July 2008. Kishida is expected to hold a series of meetings with leaders of the three countries, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority and Jordanian Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour. Last week, US Secretary of State John Kerry announced that Palestine and Israel have reached an agreement that establishes a basis for resuming direct peace talks. The Middle East peace process has been stalled since October 2010.