Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to announce an economic aid package for Central Asia.
According to The Japan Times, details will be revealed during the Japanese prime minister’s meeting with heads of the five Central Asian states during his visit to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia from August 9 to 12.
Tokyo is seeking to strengthen ties with the region by helping to create a trade route across the Caspian Sea that would link Central Asia and Europe, bypassing Russia. According to the Japanese government, the initiative will reduce the heavy influence of both Russia and China on the region and afford Central Asia economic independence.
Kishida is expected to announce the economic support package in a joint statement following the six-party summit in Kazakhstan on implementing a new trade route, helping to decarbonize the economy, and promoting people-to-people exchanges.
Japanese companies will also help Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries reduce their dependence on coal by providing technology and loans to develop natural gas production and processing. In exchange, the Central Asian states will send skilled labor to Japan.
