Tokyo talks open new era as Uzbekistan and Japan agree on $12 billion projects

Talks in Tokyo between Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Uzbekistan, and Sanae Takaichi, Prime Minister of Japan, resulted in the formation of a new portfolio of joint projects valued at more than $12 billion, according to Uzbek media.

During the negotiations, the two leaders discussed ways to intensify cooperation through parliamentary friendship groups, economic cooperation committees, and sector-specific mechanisms.

President Mirziyoyev outlined Uzbekistan’s priority areas for partnership, including green energy, industrial decarbonization, information technologies, critical minerals, mechanical engineering, as well as the modernisation of healthcare services and tourism infrastructure.

The sides also reviewed proposals to establish a joint investment platform and to create a special economic zone modelled on Japan’s experience in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand region.

In addition, the talks addressed the expansion of interregional and humanitarian cooperation. Particular attention was paid to developing educational programs and plans to establish a Uzbek–Japanese university in Tashkent in partnership with the University of Tsukuba.

Following the negotiations, the parties signed a Joint Statement on an Expanded Strategic Partnership for Future Generations. A broader package of agreements was also adopted during the visit, covering cooperation in education, healthcare, ecology, water resources, transport, tourism, and agriculture.

By Tamilla Hasanova