The MoC was signed by Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman and Japanese Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who is visiting the Kingdom currently.

The two ministers held the first ministerial meeting of the Saudi-Japanese energy dialogue in Riyadh, the Energy Ministry said on Twitter.

Saudi Arabia accounts for close to 40 percent of Japan's crude oil imports as the largest supplier.

Under the two memoranda of cooperation, the two countries will accelerate the use of hydrogen in transport, promote research and development of hydrogen and fuel ammonia technologies and their use at the local, bilateral, regional and international levels.

The two countries will also explore possibilities of conducting a joint study or pilot project that accelerates the deployment of such technologies as direct air capture, carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS)/carbon recycling and low carbon fuels such as e-fuel, gaseous fuels, methane, fuels derived from CO2 and methanol.