Press Releases
Holding of the Foreign Ministers’ Special Video Teleconference Meeting
of the “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue
1. The Foreign Ministers’ Special Video Teleconference Meeting of the “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue will be held at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, August 11 (JST). The meeting will be chaired by Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan.
2. At the meeting, the ministers will exchange views on regional cooperation in Central Asia and cooperation between Central Asian countries and Japan under the worldwide spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and to discuss future directions for cooperation toward the upcoming 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with Japan in 2022.
[Reference 1] “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue
(1) The “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue was launched in August 2004 as a framework for dialogue and cooperation among Japan and the five Central Asian countries. Japan has supported regional cooperation in Central Asia through this Dialogue as a "catalyst", from the point of view that regional cooperation for solving common challenges is essential for the “open, stable and self-sustained” development of Central Asia.
(2) Under the “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue framework, 7 Foreign Ministers’ Meetings (the last meeting was held in May 2019 in Tajikistan), 13 Senior Officials Meetings (SOM), 11 Intellectual Dialogues (Tokyo Dialogue), 5 Experts’ Meetings and 2 Business Dialogues have been held.
[Reference 2] Participating countries (Six countries)
Japan (Chair Country), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan