In June 2004, H.E. Mr. Habib Ben Yahia, Foreign Minister of Tunisia at that time, suggested the organization of a Japan–Arab Economic Forum when he visited Japan, and in September 2005, the Foreign Ministers' Conference of the League of Arab States adopted a resolution that officially proposed to establish the forum.

After detailed discussions, Japan and the League of Arab States agreed to hold the forum with the objective of strengthening mutual economic relations between Japan and the Arab states through cooperation in a wide range of areas including trade, investment, energy, technology, and human resource development.

For this purpose, many high level business–executives organization and government officials from both sides got together in Japan, and held The 1st Japan Arab Economic Forum on December 7 and 8, 2009 in Tokyo (Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Chinzan–so), under the joint sponsorship of the Japanese government (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) and the League of Arab States.

[Members of the League of Arab States]