"Central Asia plus Japan" Dialogue: The Fourth Tokyo Dialogue

1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will hold the "Central Asia plus Japan" Dialogue: The Fourth Tokyo Dialogue on February 25 (Thu) in cooperation with the Japan Foundation.



2. The Tokyo Dialogue has been held as a part of the "Intellectual Dialogue," which consists one of the five pillars of the "Central Asia plus Japan" Dialogue, a framework of multilateral dialogue and cooperation that Japan has been promoting with Central Asian countries. The Tokyo Dialogue aims to expand the range of intellectual exchange between Japan and Central Asian countries and to come up with policy proposals which could be useful for the possible governmental talks.



3. This Tokyo Dialogue will be attended by experts from Japan and five Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan). A frank exchange of views on the theme of "Future Improvement to Logistics Infrastructure in the Central Asia Region" is expected to take place.

(Reference 1) "Central Asia plus Japan" Dialogue

(1) The "Central Asia plus Japan" Dialogue was established as a framework to promote multilateral dialogues and cooperation with Central Asia when Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, then-Minister for Foreign Affairs, visited Central Asia in August 2004 and held the First Foreign Ministers Meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan) The Second Foreign Ministers Meeting was held in June 2006 in Tokyo and was chaired by Mr. Taro Aso, then-Minister for Foreign Affairs. There, the Action Plan indicating specific courses of action for cooperation in this Dialogue was signed.

(2) The five pillars of the "Central Asia plus Japan" Dialogue Action Plan is follows,
(A) Political Dialogue (B) Intra-regional Cooperation (C) Business Promotion (D) Intellectual Dialogue (E) Cultural and Human Exchange

(Reference 2) Previous Tokyo Dialogues

• The First Tokyo Dialogue (March 2006): "Prospects for Regional Integration in Central Asia" and "Relations between Central Asia and Countries outside the Region"
• The Second Tokyo Dialogue (January 2007): "Prospects for Regional Cooperation in Central Asia on Water Resources and Electric Power" and "Prospects for Diversification of Central Asia's Energy Supply Routes "
• The Third Tokyo Dialogue (February 2009): "Environmental Cooperation for Soil Protection in Central Asia" and "The Effects of Climate Change on the Environment in Central Asia and Countermeasures"