Mirziyoyev meets Japanese Foreign Minister

On August 27, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received a delegation led by Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, who is on an official visit to Uzbekistan, the presidential press service reported.

Iwaya conveyed to Mirziyoyev warm greetings from Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and extended congratulations on Uzbekistan's Independence Day.

The sides discussed strengthening the Uzbek-Japanese strategic partnership and expanding multifaceted cooperation. It was noted with satisfaction that high-level dialogue continues and practical cooperation is developing rapidly. The outcomes of the first Strategic Dialogue meeting held earlier today between Iwaya and Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov were also highly valued.

Special attention was paid to deepening political dialogue and advancing projects in trade, investment, finance, technology, and cultural and humanitarian cooperation.

Plans to expand the activities of the Uzbekistan-Japan Center and, in the future, establish a joint university with leading Japanese universities were supported. The sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues, including the upcoming Central Asia–Japan summit.

It is worth noting that on August 26, Foreign Minister Iwaya and his wife visited Samarkand, where they paid tribute to the memory of Uzbekistan’s First President Islam Karimov by laying flowers at his grave. On August 27, the Japanese delegation arrived in Tashkent, visited the Japanese cemetery in the Yakkasaroy district, and laid flowers. Iwaya also held talks with Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov.