Japan’s Abe to visit Middle East

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates next week as regional tensions spike.

Abe “will make the trip from the 12th to 15th,” a spokesman from the prime minister’s Liberal Democratic Party said.

The prime minister announced the details of the visit during a meeting with party executives. “I’m deeply concerned about the tensions in the Middle East,” he said, according to public broadcaster NHK.

“I hope to contribute to peace and stability in the region through diplomatic efforts to ease tensions.”