Press Releases

On 14 March, the 13th Tokyo Dialogue of the "Central Asia plus Japan" Dialogue, on the theme of " Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue on “Geographical Outlook for Central Asia" was held jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs(MOFA), the Global Forum of Japan(GFJ), and the Japan Forum on International Relations (JFIR).

The Tokyo Dialogue is part of the "Central Asia plus Japan" Dialogue, a framework for promoting cooperation between Japan and five Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) in the form of an open symposium with the participation of experts and practitioners. At this meeting, government officials and experts from Japan and Central Asia participated and exchanged views on the geopolitical outlook surrounding the Central Asian region.

Mr. Matsumoto Hisashi, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, delivered the opening remarks. He stated that in the recent uncertain international situation, Central Asia is becoming increasingly important from three perspectives: diplomacy and geopolitics, economic security, and new business opportunities for Japanese companies. He also expressed the hope that the active discussion during this Dialogue will serve as an opportunity to further deepen the relationship between Japan and Central Asian countries.

Participants from Central Asia reported on the geopolitical situation and issues, such as relations with neighboring countries, as well as the prospects for regional cooperation with major countries. Japanese participants shared their views on the importance of Central Asia from Japan's perspective, as well as on relations with Central Asia’s neighboring countries. Furthermore, both sides exchanged views on guidelines for cooperation and areas where further cooperation is expected in the future, and deepened their understanding of each other's views and positions.