Japan - The Times Of Central Asia

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Healthcare

Japan Provides Grant for Digital Diagnostics in Dushanbe

The Japanese government is continuing to expand its humanitarian cooperation with Tajikistan, with a renewed focus on strengthening the healthcare system and improving public access to medical services. On January 27, a grant agreement totaling $352,530 was signed under Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) program. The GGP initiative supports the development of social infrastructure in partner countries by funding projects in healthcare, education, and local government. In this case, the grant will be used to supply Health Center No. 14 in Dushanbe’s Sino district, one of the capital’s most densely populated areas, with state-of-the-art diagnostic technology. The center will receive three modern Japanese-made digital fluorographs, which are expected to significantly improve the accuracy and speed of diagnoses, particularly for infectious diseases. The integration of this technology is intended to enhance both the quality and accessibility of healthcare services in the district, contributing to the broader strengthening of Dushanbe’s healthcare infrastructure. Japanese Ambassador Keiko Furuta emphasized the strategic nature of Japan’s cooperation with Tajikistan, referencing the first Central Asia + Japan Dialogue Summit held in Tokyo last December. The summit reaffirmed healthcare as one of the priority areas of regional collaboration. Japan has provided assistance to Tajikistan for over 30 years, dating back to the establishment of diplomatic relations. Through the GGP alone, 470 humanitarian projects, totaling $39.2 million, have been implemented across the country since 1996. These projects have largely supported local governments, healthcare and educational institutions, and international NGOs.

Tokyo Declaration

Japan and Central Asia Enter a New Era of Strategic Partnership

On December 20, the first summit of Central Asian and Japanese leaders (CA+JAD) was held in Tokyo. The Tokyo Declaration, an ambitious roadmap for future cooperation, was adopted during the summit. It aims to transform relations between Japan and the five Central Asian countries into a deep and multifaceted strategic partnership. New Paths for the Region Japan intends to invest about $20 billion in business projects across Central Asia over the next five years. Priority areas for cooperation include environmental initiatives, and the transition to carbon neutrality in the energy sector. Additional areas include developing supply chains for key minerals, disaster risk reduction, and earthquake preparedness. Projects in agriculture and logistics, particularly improvements along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, were also discussed. Other topics covered included launching direct flights between Japan and Central Asia, advancing cooperation in digital technologies and artificial intelligence, and expanding scholarships and training programs. Attendees included Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi; Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev; Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov; Tajik President Emomali Rahmon; Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov; and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The second Central Asia-Japan summit is scheduled to take place in Kazakhstan, in line with the agreed English alphabetical rotation. Turkmenistan: Petrochemical Cooperation President Serdar Berdymuhamedov met with representatives of major Japanese corporations, including Sumitomo, Toyo Engineering, Muroosystems, Itochu, Argonavt, Mitsubishi, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and Tokyo Boeki Eurasia. He cited several successful Japanese-led projects in Turkmenistan, such as waste processing plants, a wastewater treatment initiative for industrial reuse, PET plastic recycling, and e-waste processing to reduce hazardous materials. New memorandums were signed between Turkmen and Japanese entities. Key among them: an agreement involving the state-owned concern Turkmenhimiya, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Corporation, and Gap Inşaat on building a urea plant in the Balkan region with a capacity of 1.155 million tons per year. Turkmenhimiya also signed an agreement with Kawasaki Heavy Industries to extend maintenance for the Akhal gas-to-gasoline plant. In addition, a cooperation deal was reached with Toyo Engineering and Turkey’s Rönesans Endüstri for the second phase of the Kiyanly polymer plant. Other memoranda included partnerships between the Ministry of Automobile Transport of Turkmenistan and Sumitomo Corporation, TurkmenGas and Sumitomo Europe, and the Ministry of Communications and Mitsubishi Corporation Machinery, focusing on artificial intelligence and digital technologies. Agreements were also signed with media outlets, banks, and universities. Diplomatic ties between Japan and Turkmenistan were established in 1992. The Japanese Embassy opened in Ashgabat in 2005, and the Turkmen Embassy in Tokyo followed in 2013. Japan also plays a vital role in Turkmenistan’s export of polypropylene. Japanese firms Kawasaki and Sojits helped construct a fertilizer complex in the town of Mary, while Itochu and Day Nippon were involved in modernizing the national railway’s IT systems. Kyrgyzstan: Energy and Education Ties President Sadyr Japarov oversaw the signing of bilateral agreements spanning exports, energy, healthcare, education, tourism, agribusiness, and digital development. Agreements included a roadmap between Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Energy and MurooSystems for a small hydropower plant on the Chon-Kemin River and various education-related memorandums with...

Central Asia + Japan

Uzbekistan and Japan Announce Over $12 Billion in New Strategic Projects

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has concluded an official visit to Japan that both Uzbek and Japanese sources have described as a turning point in bilateral relations. According to Sherzod Asadov, the president’s press secretary, the visit elevated Uzbekistan-Japan ties to an expanded strategic partnership, marking a shift from primarily humanitarian and technical cooperation to a broader economic framework grounded in long-term strategic planning. During the visit, Mirziyoyev held meetings with Emperor Naruhito, Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, parliamentary leaders, senior government officials, and representatives from Japan’s business and academic communities. Asadov noted that a new portfolio of cooperation projects, valued at more than $12 billion, was formed, encompassing sectors such as education, healthcare, environmental protection, water management, transport, urban development, tourism, agriculture, and disaster-risk reduction. Particular emphasis was placed on green energy, energy storage systems, and industrial cooperation. Major Japanese corporations were invited to join long-term partnership programs, signaling a deepening of economic ties. Japanese media also underscored the economic dimension of the visit. NHK World reported on a business forum in Tokyo where Mirziyoyev urged Japanese companies to invest in Uzbekistan’s industrial transformation, highlighting areas such as advanced technology, stable energy supply, and critical minerals development. He emphasized that Japanese participation would bolster ongoing reforms aimed at enhancing productivity and boosting exports. Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ryosei Akazawa, expressed Tokyo’s support for sustainable development in Uzbekistan, with a focus on private-sector cooperation. Japanese firms operating in Uzbekistan presented current projects in renewable energy and mineral exploration. Uzbek business representatives, in turn, highlighted the country’s demand for Japanese technology and acknowledged improvements in the investment environment. The visit also included President Mirziyoyev’s participation in the first “Central Asia + Japan” summit. Discussions focused on regional connectivity, green economic initiatives, digital and investment collaboration, and human capital development. The summit concluded with the adoption of the Tokyo Declaration, which reaffirmed both sides’ commitment to deepening multilateral cooperation. Following the engagements in Japan, Mirziyoyev traveled to Russia for a working visit to attend the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting and an informal summit of CIS heads of state in St. Petersburg.

AI Development

Tokayev Proposes Regional AI Partnership Center with Japan in Astana

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has proposed establishing a regional center in Astana to facilitate cooperation between Central Asian nations and Japan in digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) development. Speaking at the inaugural summit of the Central Asia-Japan Dialogue, Tokayev endorsed Tokyo’s initiative to build an AI partnership with the region. He noted that Kazakhstan has committed to developing a digital state and highlighted recent milestones, including the launch of the Alem.ai International Artificial Intelligence Center, the deployment of two supercomputers in 2025, and the ongoing implementation of the Digital Qazaqstan strategy. Kazakhstan is prepared to serve as a platform for regional AI collaboration, Tokayev said, suggesting that the proposed initiative be anchored at the Astana Hub and Alem.ai, both of which possess advanced infrastructure and a growing international tech ecosystem. He expressed particular interest in Japan’s expertise in water management digitalization, including water conservation, scientific research, and remote sensing. The president also proposed cooperation in sustainable agriculture, citing Kazakhstan’s interest in Japanese technologies for smart farming, drought-resistant crop development, and resource-efficient agricultural practices. He invited Japanese scientists to participate in establishing a joint research platform and proposed holding the first expert meeting in Astana. Tokayev further emphasized Kazakhstan’s interest in Japanese technology and investment in the energy sector from coal industry modernization and clean energy development to nuclear power. He noted that Kazakhstan supplies roughly 40% of the world’s nuclear fuel and holds substantial reserves of rare earth and critical minerals essential to the global energy transition. As previously reported by the Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan recently launched the region’s most powerful supercomputer and reached an agreement with NVIDIA to roll out AI education programs through the Deep Learning Institute.

Science

Air Pollution Research Center Opens at Osh State University with Japanese Support

A new Inter-Institutional Research Center for Air Pollution Studies (IRCAPS) has been inaugurated at Osh State University in southern Kyrgyzstan. The center is part of a five-year joint project between Osh State University and the Tokyo University of Science. Funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), the $5 million initiative includes full provision of technical equipment for the facility. The opening ceremony, held on November 18, was attended by Professor Nobutoshi Nawa, a leading scientist from the Tokyo University of Science, and Nishigato Kotaro, JICA’s representative in Kyrgyzstan. Osh State University Rector Kudaiberdi Kojobekov stated that the center's establishment represents a new phase in scientific and educational collaboration between Kyrgyzstan and Japan. The center will focus on studying the health impacts of air pollution. Monitoring equipment will be installed both indoors and outdoors in residential areas to assess air quality in Osh, Bishkek, and other regions. Japanese scientists will collaborate directly with Kyrgyz researchers, and the resulting data will be used to formulate policy recommendations for relevant institutions and stakeholders. The project is being carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision, the Hydrometeorological Service, the International Higher Medical School, the Osh City Administration, and various international partners. Air pollution remains a critical issue in Kyrgyzstan, particularly in its largest urban centers, Bishkek and Osh. Key sources include the widespread use of coal for heating and vehicle exhaust emissions.

Foreign Grants

Japanese Grant Program to Fund School Construction and Hospital Modernization in Tajikistan

Japan has committed around $230,000 in grant funding for two new social infrastructure projects in Tajikistan, aimed at enhancing education and healthcare in regions impacted by the April 2025 earthquake. A formal signing ceremony took place in Dushanbe, where Japanese Ambassador Keiko Furuta and representatives of the beneficiary organizations signed two grant agreements under Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) program. The funding will support the following initiatives: Construction of a new school in Vahdat village, Tajikabad district - $128,739 Modernization of medical equipment at the Central Hospital in Istiklol - $99,960 Speaking at the event, Ambassador Furuta highlighted Japan’s long-standing partnership with Tajikistan. “Japan has supported the people of Tajikistan across various sectors for more than 30 years. We hope these projects will be implemented as planned and bring tangible benefits to the public, particularly those affected by the recent earthquake,” she said. Furuta emphasized that Japan’s development assistance aims to improve safety, infrastructure quality, and overall public well-being. Since 1996, Japan has implemented 470 humanitarian projects in Tajikistan under the GGP, with a cumulative value of $39.2 million.