Press Releases
Courtesy call on Foreign Minister Kamikawa by the Ambassadors from the Five Central Asian Countries
On July 23, from 3:30 p.m. for approximately 35 minutes, as part of outreach diplomacy, Ms. KAMIKAWA Yoko, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, received a courtesy call from the Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Japan from the five Central Asian countries: H.E Mr. Sabr S. YESSIMBEKOV, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Mr. Mukhsinkhuja ABDURAKHMONOV, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan, H.E. Mr. Atadurdy BAYRAMOV, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan, H.E. Mr. Erkinbek OSOEV, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kyrgyz Republic and H.E. Mr. SALIM Farhod, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Tajikistan. The overview of the courtesy call is as follows.
- At the outset, Minister Kamikawa expressed her respect for the daily efforts of the embassies to strengthen relationships with Japan. She stated that Central Asia is a region of geopolitical importance and an important partner for Japan in maintaining and strengthening the free and open international order based on the rule of law.
- Furthermore, Minister Kamikawa mentioned that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the "Central Asia plus Japan" Dialogue, which Japan has been conducting ahead of other countries. She stated that Japan hopes to further cooperate to make the first Summit meeting of the Dialogue to be held in such a year a historic opportunity to significantly advance relationships between Central Asian countries and Japan.
- In response, the Ambassadors of the Central Asian countries expressed that they place high emphasis on cooperation with Japan through the "Central Asia plus Japan" Dialogue in a wide variety of fields, and they intend to make every effort for a successful Summit meeting.
- In conclusion, Minister Kamikawa expressed her wishes to take the first Summit meeting as a great opportunity to join forces to advance relationships between Central Asia and Japan.
From the viewpoint that regional cooperation to resolve common regional issues is indispensable for the stability and development of Central Asia, Japan launched a dialogue framework in 2004 to promote such regional cooperation (the first Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held in Kazakhstan in August of the same year). The most recent meeting was the 9th Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Tokyo in December 2022. This August, marking the 20th anniversary of the "Central Asia plus Japan" Dialogue, Japan is planning to hold the "Central Asia plus Japan" Dialogue Summit in coordination with the participating countries.