The First Central Asia–Japan Summit: A New Stage of Strategic Partnership

On 19–20 December of this year, Tokyo will host the first-ever Central Asia–Japan Summit, during which the parties will discuss the strengthening of cooperation and the prospects for further development of their partnership.

The forthcoming meeting of heads of state is of particular significance in the context of current trends in Central Asia, where regional cooperation has gained new momentum. Its outcomes are expected to give a strong impetus to the development of relations between the region and Japan, elevating them to a qualitatively new level. This will reflect the strategic maturity of the partnership and underscore its importance for both the Central Asian states and Tokyo. The summit is also expected to create favorable conditions for the practical implementation of joint initiatives and for unlocking the still untapped potential of cooperation.
Japan was among the first countries to recognize the independence of the newly established Central Asian states. In its policy toward the region, Tokyo has consistently adhered to the principles of equality, mutual respect, and consideration of partners’ interests, without imposing political conditions on the development of cooperation.
Japan was also a pioneer among external partners in perceiving Central Asia as a single regional space. As early as 2004, at the initiative of Japanese diplomacy, the “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue was established, becoming a pilot multilateral platform for regional cooperation in the “CA+” format.
Within this mechanism, Japan has consistently supported the concept of the “open, stable, and self-reliant development” of Central Asia, while pursuing active and balanced engagement with each republic of the region.
As President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has noted, “Japan is our time-tested strategic partner, with whom relations are developing on the basis of mutual trust and respect.”
Since the launch of the Dialogue, nine meetings of foreign ministers have been held, alongside a wide range of expert- and business-level discussions. In the joint statement following the 9th meeting, held in Tokyo in 2022, the foreign ministers of Central Asian countries and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to further deepening the partnership and mutually beneficial cooperation, grounded in the friendship and trust built over the years.
Over the past two decades, the Dialogue has established itself as an important platform for strengthening relations and discussing joint projects, making a meaningful contribution to sustainable development in Central Asia.
Particular attention should be paid to the support Japan has provided to Central Asian countries since the first days of their independence. This support has been expressed through active assistance to regional economic development, including the implementation of infrastructure and energy projects in close cooperation with key institutions such as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), among others.
In this context, special importance within the partnership is attached to infrastructure development, which represents one of the strategic priority areas of cooperation. The use of advanced Japanese technologies makes it possible to modernize key transport hubs, improve the efficiency of logistics systems, and strengthen regional connectivity.
Noteworthy are Japan-financed projects in Uzbekistan, which enabled the reconstruction of international airports in Samarkand, Bukhara, and Urgench (1996–1999), the construction of the Tashguzar–Kumkurgan railway (2004), and the electrification of the Karshi–Termez railway line (2012), significantly enhancing the country’s transport connectivity.
Similar projects have been implemented in other Central Asian states. With Japan’s active support, airports in Astana (2002–2005), Manas (2024–2025), and Dushanbe (2017) have been modernized; a bridge over the Irtysh River in Semey was constructed (1998); the Bishkek–Osh road was reconstructed (2025); and key highways in Tajikistan have been built since 2006.
These projects served as a starting point for a broader strategy aimed at modernizing transport and logistics infrastructure across the region. In 2017, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida launched the “Transport and Logistics Cooperation Initiative,” allocating USD 153 million to projects designed to improve transport efficiency and integrate the transport systems of Central Asian countries.
Japan also plays a key role in the modernization of Central Asia’s energy systems, with particular attention devoted to the “green transition” on the multilateral agenda.
In Uzbekistan, with the support of JICA and JBIC, projects have been implemented to construct and modernize thermal power plants, including the Turakurgan TPP (2014) and the Talimarjan TPP (2013), as well as the expansion of the Navoi TPP (since 2013). In addition, at the end of October this year, JBIC provided financing for two large solar and battery storage projects in the Samarkand and Bukhara regions with a combined capacity of 1,000 MW.
Japan is actively supporting energy and green projects in other Central Asian countries as well. With Kazakhstan, a memorandum on low-carbon development has been signed, and a renewable energy project in the Turkestan region is being prepared jointly with the Japanese company Komaihaltec Inc. (2024). With Kyrgyzstan, agreements have been reached on the construction of two small hydropower plants on the Chon-Kemin River with a capacity of 24–25 MW, as well as a solar power plant of up to 100 MW in cooperation with Muroo Systems Corporation (2024). In Tajikistan, the modernization of the Sughd-500 substation is underway with the support of the EBRD and Japan (2025). In Turkmenistan, the construction of a second environmentally friendly gasoline plant (GTG-2) is planned in cooperation with Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Rönesans, and ITOCHU (2025).
These initiatives will not only increase the share of renewable energy sources but also help create an environmentally safe and technologically advanced energy platform for the entire region, enhancing energy security and promoting sustainable development in Central Asia.
One of the most important vectors of Japan’s cooperation with Central Asian countries is the development of human capital, viewed as a strategic resource for long-term sustainable development since the early years of independence. Tokyo actively supports professional and educational exchange programs aimed at training highly qualified specialists capable of working with advanced technologies.
In Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, Uzbek–Japanese and regional human resource development centers have been operating for more than 20 years, offering courses in the Japanese language, business, information technologies, and engineering, as well as promoting cultural and humanitarian exchange. These initiatives help build a professional workforce capable of integrating into joint economic, technological, and innovative projects with Japan.
Special emphasis is placed on training specialists for the digital economy, the energy sector, infrastructure projects, and disaster management, making Japan’s contribution to human capital development strategically significant for strengthening Central Asia’s capacity in the 21st century.
It is beyond doubt that the first summit will address a broad range of areas of cooperation. In some of these fields, tangible results have already been achieved, while others still offer significant potential for new joint initiatives. Several promising areas of interaction can be highlighted.
In the economic sphere, there remains considerable potential for expanding trade and investment cooperation. Since 2000, Japan’s trade turnover with the region has increased sixfold—from USD 400 million to USD 2.4 billion in 2024. Nevertheless, this figure still falls short of existing opportunities. There is a need to deepen economic ties, expand joint projects, and explore new markets for regional products.
The Osaka 2025 Expo has provided a positive starting point in this regard, demonstrating growing interest among Japanese consumers in products from Central Asian countries and opening opportunities for trade diversification.
There are also prospects for new initiatives and joint projects in the energy and green technology sectors. Central Asia possesses significant renewable energy potential. For example, Uzbekistan alone has the capacity to generate 500 GW of solar power, 100 GW of wind power, and 10 GW of hydropower.
Japan, in turn, has well-recognized expertise in energy efficiency, hydrogen technologies, and renewable energy, creating broad opportunities for modernizing the energy mix of Central Asian countries. Cooperation in this area would make it possible to increase the share of renewables, introduce modern storage systems, enhance the reliability of energy supply, and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. Joint projects—including research on hydrogen, energy storage systems, and thermal power modernization—could help establish new sectoral standards for sustainable development in the region.
Significant progress can also be achieved in transport and logistics. According to UN data, global demand for freight transportation is expected to triple by 2050. In this context, the development of transport infrastructure remains a key prerequisite for economic integration and competitiveness in Central Asia.
Japan traditionally plays a systemic role in modernizing the region’s aviation, railway, and road infrastructure, ensuring the adoption of high technological standards in construction and management. Strengthening cooperation in this sphere would facilitate the development of multimodal corridors, improve logistics chains, and enhance the resilience of regional transit routes, including those connecting Central Asia with East Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
Digitalization and the application of artificial intelligence technologies represent another promising area for mutually beneficial cooperation. Japan possesses advanced solutions in automation, cybersecurity, and AI. The adoption of Japanese AI, automation, and cybersecurity solutions in Central Asian countries could create a platform for the development of new industries, while the training of qualified personnel would become a key element of long-term technological resilience.
Special attention should also be paid to climate resilience, climate change adaptation, and water resource management. Climate change is having an increasingly tangible impact on Central Asia, exacerbating water scarcity, land degradation, and extreme weather events previously uncommon for the region. Over the past 30 years, regional temperatures have risen by 1.5 degrees Celsius—twice the global average—and water shortages in the region could reach 30 percent by 2050.
In this context, cooperation with Japan, which has world-class expertise in climate planning, adaptation strategies, and low-carbon technologies, becomes critically important. Tokyo could support the development of climate monitoring systems, joint scientific programs, and projects for sustainable water resource management, strengthening the region’s capacity to withstand long-term climate risks.
Furthermore, enhanced cooperation in disaster risk reduction and emergency response related to climate change appears particularly promising. Joint initiatives could include the introduction of advanced forecasting, monitoring, and risk management systems, enabling countries to better adapt to extreme weather events and minimize their social and economic consequences.
The outlined areas are important both for Central Asian countries—interested in deepening economic cooperation, modernizing infrastructure, and developing energy systems and human capital—and for Japan, which seeks to strengthen strategic partnership and expand its presence in the region.
The summit at the level of heads of state will mark the starting point of a new phase of interaction, in which Japan acts not merely as an external power, but as a reliable strategic partner capable of supporting the long-term development of Central Asia on the basis of knowledge, technology, and shared interests.

Deputy Director of the International Institute for Central Asia
Sherzod Fayziev