In the first of a new series, The National looks at the ways Gulf nations have touched the lives of people around the world …
The afternoon of March 11, 2011, will never be forgotten by the people of Japan’s north-east Tohoku region.
An earthquake, measured as the fourth most powerful yet recorded, hit 72km from the coast, triggering a 40-metre tsunami wave travelling at speeds of 700kph which reached 10km inland.
Nearly 20,000 people died, mostly by drowning. At least 120,000 buildings were destroyed and 280,000 badly damaged, including the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which came close to complete meltdown. In addition to the human and environmental toll, the cost of reconstruction was estimated at a staggering $235 billion.
Just a month later, the Japanese government received an unexpected gift. It came in the form of an aid package worth about $524 million and consisting of five million barrels of crude oil. The donor was Kuwait, more than 13,000km away, and it was the largest from a single country.
A history of friendship
Why oil, and why Kuwait? The answer lies more than 50 years ago. Japan, a wealthy and powerful country with a rich cultural history, is nevertheless heavily dependent on oil imports, having few reserves of its own.
It was a major reason behind the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, which drew the US into the Second World War. Japan, desperately short of fuel, planned to strike to the west to occupy the oilfields of what were then British Malaya and the Dutch East Indies. Sinking its Pacific fleet, Japan believed, would neutralise any American hostile response.
The postwar recovery period also saw the countries of the Arabian Gulf emerge as powerhouses in oil and gas. Kuwait exported its first shipment of oil in 1946 and, by 1961, when the country became independent, was producing seven per cent of the world’s output.
Rebuilding its shattered economy, Japan looked to the Gulf for its oil supply. Kuwait granted Japan’s Arabian Oil Company (Aramco Japan) concession rights in 1958 and Tokyo was among the first countries to recognise Kuwait’s independence.
Following the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq in August 1990, Japan immediately called for Saddam Hussein to withdraw, imposing economic sanctions even before the UN. After the war, Tokyo gave $13 billion towards the cost of reconstruction and sent mine sweepers from its navy to help clear Gulf waters.
Mutual respect and gratitude
Kuwait’s generous response to the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami was well received in Japan. Dispatching the first shipment of oil in October, 2011, Kuwait’s then minister for planning and development, Abdulwahab Al Haroun offered his condolences, saying: “The support from Kuwait demonstrates our appreciation for the past support from Japan to our country and friendship between the two countries.”
“We also remember that, during the Iraqi invasion, Japan stood by Kuwait in the liberation war in 1991.”
The following year saw a state visit to Japan by the late Sheikh Sabah Al Sabah, former emir of Kuwait, with another, personal donation of $5 million to help rebuild the worst-hit areas.
In 2014, thanks to the donation by Sheikh Sabah, an aquarium in Fukushima wrecked by flood waters reopened, along with a memorial park dedicated to the friendship with Kuwait and featuring a stone monument carved with the Arabic word for peace, “salam”.
Japan still marks Kuwait’s generosity. In 2021, the Sanriku Railway, badly damaged in the disaster and now fully restored thanks to the proceeds of the donated oil, added decorative plaques featuring Kuwaiti colours to its new carriages.
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Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The years Ramadan fell in May
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Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 258hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,550-4,000rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.1L/100km
Price: from Dh362,500
On sale: now
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
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THE DEALS
Hamilton $60m x 2 = $120m
Vettel $45m x 2 = $90m
Ricciardo $35m x 2 = $70m
Verstappen $55m x 3 = $165m
Leclerc $20m x 2 = $40m
TOTAL $485m
Arctic Monkeys
Tranquillity Base Hotel Casino (Domino)
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
FIVE%20TRENDS%20THAT%20WILL%20SHAPE%20UAE%20BANKING
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Match info
Deccan Gladiators 87-8
Asif Khan 25, Dwayne Bravo 2-16
Maratha Arabians 89-2
Chadwick Walton 51 not out
Arabians won the final by eight wickets
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If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm
Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: L/100km
Price: Dh306,495
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House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
THE%20SPECS
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