Qatar asks Japan to support project

[ABC Money; AFX, 3 May] Qatar has asked Japan for technical support to help it to develop a nuclear energy program, in return for natural gas. Qatar's prime minister, Sheckh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani, made the request to Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe during Abe's tour of various Gulf states. Rather than promising to provide support at this stage, Abe steered the Gulf state towards the services of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and also suggested it look into nuclear fuel security and non-proliferation before introducing nuclear energy. Japan generates 30% of its electricity from nuclear energy but, with few natural resources of its own, is heavily dependent on fossil fuel imports, especially from the Middle East.