The "Central Asia + Japan" Business Forum convened in Tokyo on December 20, bringing together the leaders of Central Asian nations, including President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, alongside top officials and business representatives from across the region.
According to the Tajik president’s official website, the forum aimed to deepen economic, trade, and investment ties between Central Asia and Japan, with a strong focus on green and sustainable development, digitalization, finance, human capital, and the creation of socially supportive business ecosystems.
In her concluding address, Japan’s Prime Minister Takaichi welcomed the participants and reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to fostering inclusive, long-term economic cooperation with Central Asia.
As part of President Emomali Rahmon’s official visit to Japan, a series of nearly 20 new cooperation agreements were signed, marking a significant step forward in bilateral and multilateral relations.
Key agreements included:
· A Joint Statement between Tajikistan and Japan outlining a roadmap for mutually beneficial cooperation.
· An Investment Protection Agreement between the governments of Tajikistan and Japan.
· A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of Tajikistan and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
· A Cooperation Program between the foreign ministries of both countries for 2026–2028.
· An Exchange of Memoranda and Grant Agreement for modernizing cargo scanning equipment at the Spitamen customs checkpoint on the Trans-Caspian international transport route.
· A Grant Agreement for constructing a 220kV power substation in Dushanbe.
· Additional MoUs in the fields of transport, agriculture, and disaster risk reduction through the UNDP.
Several agreements were also signed on the sidelines of the Central Asia + Japan Regional Business Forum and the Tajikistan–Japan Trade Forum. These included:
· A MoU between Tajikistan’s Agency for Innovation and Digital Technologies and Masui Co., Ltd.
· A partnership between the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies and Curtis Creek Co., Ltd to boost textile exports.
· Cooperation between the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources and Japan’s Meteorological Engineering Center.
· A training initiative between Tajik Technical University and Splice-Lab Co., Ltd in bridge engineering.
· A MoU between Tajikistan’s Ministry of Health Social Protection and Sansei Corporation for the provision of mobile medical vehicles.
These agreements reflect a growing strategic partnership between Tajikistan and Japan and underscore Japan’s broader commitment to supporting development and regional integration in Central Asia.
