Central Asia–Japan: $19 billion in cooperation and a new strategic phase

Central Asia. In recent years, integration processes observed in the region have made it an increasingly attractive focal point for global centers of power. The C5+1 format, established more than a decade ago, has now been elevated to the level of summits involving heads of state. In 2025 alone, summits in this format were held with China, Russia, the European Union, and the United States. Toward the end of the year, a summit in the same format took place with Japan.

On December 19–20 in Tokyo, Central Asian states and Japan met for the first time at the level of heads of state, defining new foundations for deepening political, economic, and sectoral cooperation amid growing regional and global challenges.

This platform was launched by Japan earlier than similar initiatives by other countries, in 2004. The first meeting of foreign ministers within this format was held in Kazakhstan in August of that year. To date, ten meetings of foreign ministers have taken place under this dialogue. In addition, expert meetings and public symposia involving sector specialists and the business community, including events such as the “Tokyo Dialogue,” have been organized.

The current summit marked the first time, more than 20 years after the establishment of the “Central Asia + Japan” dialogue, that the meeting was held at the level of heads of state. Leaders of the five Central Asian countries met with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to discuss how to shape a new phase of regional cooperation. The summit was attended by the presidents of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described Central Asia as a region of growing geopolitical and economic significance, highlighting its role as a bridge between Europe and Asia, its energy and mineral resources, as well as its strong economic and demographic growth potential.

She announced the launch of the CA+JAD Tokyo Initiative, aimed at supporting industrial development and diversification in Central Asia and strengthening mutually beneficial ties with Japan.

The initiative covers three priority areas: green development and sustainability, connectivity, and human capacity development. It aims to implement business projects worth a total of 3 trillion yen, or approximately $19 billion, over the next five years.

Following the summit, the parties agreed to strengthen cooperation in the field of economic security in order to reinforce supply chains related to natural resources.

The participants adopted a joint declaration outlining three priority areas of cooperation: development of transport infrastructure, combating climate change, and expanding people-to-people exchanges.

The Tokyo Declaration emphasized the importance of a free and open international order based on the rule of law. Japan proposed supporting the development of trade routes linking Central Asia with Europe via the Caspian Sea and offering assistance to Central Asian countries in the field of artificial intelligence.

“Amid changes in the international situation, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the environment surrounding Central Asia is changing rapidly. This further increases the importance of regional and global cooperation,” Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said at the summit.

Uzbekistan: infrastructure, energy, and digital cooperation

Speaking at the summit, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev recalled that Japan had initiated the “Central Asia + Japan” dialogue more than 20 years ago, noting that the first-ever summit at the level of heads of state marked the beginning of a new stage in cooperation.

He proposed holding summits at the level of heads of state every two years and expressed Uzbekistan’s readiness to host one of the future meetings. He also put forward an initiative to develop a Central Asia–Japan cooperation strategy through 2040, focused on concrete programs and projects.

Economic cooperation occupied a central place in Uzbekistan’s proposals. The Uzbek leader supported active involvement by Japanese financial institutions and proposed establishing an investment fund to develop infrastructure and industry in Central Asia, as well as creating a regional network of Japanese technoparks to support industrial cooperation and technology transfer.

Digital transformation was another key area. President Mirziyoyev proposed establishing a Central Asia–Japan digital hub for cooperation in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital solutions. He also expressed interest in Japan’s participation in major transport projects, including high-speed railways, highways, airports, and digitalized transport corridors. As an example, he cited ongoing cooperation with Sojitz on the new Tashkent International Airport.

President Mirziyoyev emphasized that Uzbekistan aims to reduce carbon emissions by up to 50 percent by 2035 and increase the share of green energy in electricity generation to 54 percent by 2030. He proposed implementing joint renewable energy projects, introducing cogeneration technologies, applying carbon capture solutions, and establishing a regional renewable energy training center in Tashkent.

He also called for close cooperation on air quality, climate adaptation, and seismic safety, proposing the development of a regional program based on Japanese experience to train engineers, architects, and emergency service personnel.

Kazakhstan: transit, energy, and water security

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted Central Asia’s growing role as a transport and logistics hub, noting that more than 80 percent of overland cargo traffic between Asia and Europe passes through Kazakhstan.

Energy cooperation featured prominently in his remarks. Tokayev expressed interest in Japanese technologies and investments in both conventional and clean energy projects, emphasizing the need for a fair and balanced energy transition. He pointed out that Kazakhstan is a major coal producer and supplies around 40 percent of the world’s nuclear fuel, underscoring opportunities for cooperation in nuclear safety, waste management, and specialist training.

The Kazakh president also stressed that Central Asia has significant reserves of rare earth elements and other critical minerals, enabling the region to play a more active role in global supply chains. He voiced support for the Next-Generation SmartMining Plus project launched jointly with Japan, aimed at digitalizing the mining sector and improving environmental sustainability.

Tokayev also drew attention to water security and sustainable agriculture, proposing close cooperation in water-saving technologies, applied research, and satellite-based monitoring. He suggested establishing a research platform on sustainable agriculture with the participation of Japanese scientists and experts.

The leaders of the Central Asian countries and the Japanese prime minister agreed that the next Central Asia–Japan summit will be held in Kazakhstan.

Business forum and agreements

Following the summit, the heads of state took part in a multilateral business forum dedicated to trade, investment, and industrial cooperation. A number of joint projects were presented during the forum. These included projects by Sumitomo, Chubu Electric Power, and Shikoku Electric Power, supported by JBIC and NEXI, to build two solar power plants in Uzbekistan; modernization of IT infrastructure with Toyota Tsusho; establishment of a multidisciplinary medical center by Sojitz; and projects in the field of critical minerals with the participation of JOGMEC.

Within the framework of the summit, more than 150 documents were signed and presented by representatives of the public and private sectors. Japan also announced new official development assistance projects in the form of grants and loans for Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, as well as a regional disaster risk reduction program implemented jointly with the United Nations Development Programme.

At the conclusion of the summit, the leaders adopted the Tokyo Declaration, which set out the agreed key areas of cooperation between Central Asian states and Japan.

Uzbekistan–Japan relations elevated to a new level

During the summit in Tokyo, the presidents of Central Asian countries also held bilateral meetings with the Japanese leadership. In particular, negotiations between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi resulted in the elevation of bilateral relations to the level of an expanded strategic partnership. The leaders signed a joint statement on an expanded strategic partnership for future generations.