JEDDAH — A delegation representing the Ministry of Water and Electricity, the National Water Company (NWC) and several leading water-related companies recently visited the Japanese cities of Osaka, Kobe, Tokyo and Yokohama on a week-long tour to study sewage treatment and recycling technology applied there. The tour was organized by the Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East (JCCME). The delegation, headed by Ali Al-Motlag, director general of the Waste Water Department at the ministry, and Saleh Saadawi of NWC's Jeddah branch, made a series of visits to the state-of-the-art sewage treatment and recycling plants, and the management and operation centers in the Japanese cities. They also visited several ministries to ensure further cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Japan, particularly in human resources development programs. During their stay in Tokyo, more than 10 major Japanese companies made their presentations to and held discussions with the delegation members. At a farewell dinner organized by JCCME Managing Director Nakanishi, the two sides celebrated the success of the visit, which enhanced mutual understanding and improved business opportunities. All participants were presented JCCME certificates of appreciation. On behalf of the delegation, Al-Motlag expressed gratitude to JCCME staff who contributed to the success of the visit, saying, "The visit was well-organized, informative and useful. We will use Japanese technology in the sewage treatment and recycling sector in Saudi Arabia." The familiarization tour will be upgraded next year due to the high demand and growing environmental concerns in the Kingdom.
