Press Releases

1. In this meeting, Mr. Toshihiro Aiki, Special Representative in charge of Central Asia (Ambassador), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, participated from Japan while vice-foreign minister-level officials participated from the Central Asian countries.

2. At this SOM, in order to follow-up with the previous visit to Central Asia by Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister, which took place last month, while also making preparations for the next Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the “Central Asia plus Japan,” which is scheduled to be held in Turkmenistan in 2016, participants exchanged views on three topics: “agricultural cooperation,” “transportation and logistics cooperation,” and “the way forward for the ‘Central Asia plus Japan’ Dialogue.”

3. In regard to agricultural cooperation, participants shared progress with cooperation since the previous SOM and the current situation, and a lively exchange of views took place on future cooperation.

4. In regard to transportation and logistics cooperation, the view was shared that the transportation and logistics field will be newly taken up as a priority area of practical cooperation at this dialogue. On that basis, each country’s interests and needs in this field were presented, and a lively exchange of views took place on the possibility of cooperation going forward.

5. Regarding the way forward for the “Central Asia plus Japan’ Dialogue,” the view was shared that in the run-up to the next foreign ministers’ meeting scheduled to be held in 2016, going forward concrete preparations will proceed while utilizing expert meetings, the “Tokyo Dialogue” and other opportunities and continuing to coordinate with each country.