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Visit to Japan by President Islam Abduganievich Karimov of the Republic of Uzbekistan

July 31, 2002

1. Outline of the visit

(1) President Islam Abduganievich Karimov of the Republic of Uzbekistan visited Japan on the invitation of the Government of Japan from 28 to 31 July 2002. (This was President Karimov's second visit to Japan, having first visited in May 1994.)

(2) President Karimov was received by His Majesty the Emperor and met with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi, Minister of Finance Masajuro Shiokawa, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Takeo Hiranuma, members of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Japan-Uzbekistan Parliamentary League of Friendship (Chair: Chairman of the Policy Research Council of the LDP Taro Aso), as well as members of the business community and the media, and in addition to giving a lecture at Waseda University in Tokyo, two Joint Statements were signed after talks with Prime Minister Koizumi.

At the signing ceremony for the joint statements, Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Seiken Sugiura also signed three Joint Announcements with Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulaziz Khafizovich Kamilov of the Republic of Uzbekistan. On the other occasion, Deputy Prime Minister Rustan Azimov of Uzbekistan signed a grant aid Exchange of Notes (E/N) with Japanese Ambassador to Uzbekistan Kyoko Nakayama.

2. Content of Meetings

(1) Summit Meeting (29 July)

Points made by President Karimov:

  • High evaluation of bilateral relationship with Japan, particularly the "Silk Road Diplomacy."
  • High evaluation of the dispatch of the Silk Road Energy Mission and the initiative of Prime Minister Koizumi.
  • Japan should play a significant role in the international community and should heighten its presence in the Central Asian region.
  • Uzbekistan is promoting economic reforms. Uzbekistan would like cooperation from Japan to stabilize the balance of income and expenditure.
  • The joint statements signed on this occasion will form a foundation for sound bilateral relations in the future.

Points made by Prime Minister Koizumi:

  • Exchanges of dignitaries between the two countries are increasingly invigorated. Those persons involved have great feelings of closeness with Uzbekistan.
  • Share the high evaluation of cooperative relations over the past ten years. Under the "Silk Road diplomacy" in this period of cooperation between the Untied States and the Russian Federation, it is hoped that a new relationship with Uzbekistan can be created.
  • The signed Joint Statements are important for future relations and are necessary from the mid- to long-term perspective.
  • World security in the face of terrorism is important and the two countries can cooperate together.

(2) Signing of the Joint Statements and other documents (a), b), c), d) and e) 29 July, f) 30 July)

  1. Joint Statement on Friendship, Strategic Partnership and Cooperation between Japan and the Republic of Uzbekistan (Summit meeting)
  2. Joint Statement of Japan and the Republic of Uzbekistan on development of economic cooperation and assistance to economic reforms in Uzbekistan (Summit meeting)
  3. Joint Announcement on Political Dialogue between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs (on the level of Foreign Ministers)
  4. Joint Announcement on Cooperation in Personal, Cultural and Educational Exchange (on the level of Foreign Ministers)
  5. Joint Announcement on Cooperation in the humanitarian field about deceased Japanese detainees (on the level of Foreign Ministers)
  6. E/N of general grant aid on the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (Deputy Prime Minister and Ambassador)

3. Results

(1) Since the independence of the countries of Central Asia, including Uzbekistan, Japan has been steadily implementing assistance to these countries for moves toward a market economy and democratization. In particular, since the proposal of then Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto in 1997, "Diplomacy to the Silk Road Region," active efforts have been made to strengthen relations in various spheres, including economic cooperation. Given this background, during the visit, President Karimov repeatedly expressed his high evaluation and gratitude toward Japan's diplomatic policy and its economic cooperation (Official Development Assistance (ODA)) to Uzbekistan to the Japanese officials he held talks with.

(2) Among the two Joint Statements the one signed by the two leaders on this visit, concerning general bilateral relations was entitled "Strategic Partnership." Uzbekistan was particularly praiseful of this title for the Statement.

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