Previously, Japan hosted its first-ever summit with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in Tokyo on December 20th, 2022. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi joined this historic gathering. Its aim was to deepen economic ties between Japan and five Central Asian countries. The summit had been scheduled for August 2024 in Kazakhstan. It was delayed when then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida canceled at the last minute amid a warning about increased earthquake risks in Japan.
The summit marked a significant moment in Japan’s diplomatic history, as it builds upon a dialogue framework initiated in 2004 with the five former Soviet republics. Since then, Japan has been very proactive in working with these countries. Over the past two years, they’ve convened ten foreign ministerial meetings to set the stage for greater cooperation.
During the summit, Japan and the five Central Asian states finalized the “Tokyo Declaration.” This joint declaration points toward essential areas of collaboration like cooperating on decarbonization initiatives, facilitating logistics, and developing human resources. Overall, the declaration underscores an important consensus. They intend to create an alternative transport corridor that connects Central Asia to Europe, bypassing Russia through a strategic detour. This path is known as the “Caspian Sea route.” The goal is to ensure reliable and environmentally sound supply chains of critical minerals as well as energy resources.
Prime Minister Takaichi addressed the changing geopolitical landscape at the summit, stating, “The international situation has changed drastically, and the region’s importance is growing as a trade route connecting Asia and Europe.” Her comments highlight the increasing significance of Central Asia as a transit space for global trade. This area is more important than ever as Russia and China make great efforts to expand their control over its rich resources.
The summit paints a picture of Japan’s increasing role in deepening economic relationships and connectivity in Central Asia at a time of changing geopolitical rivalries. Japan’s overall strategy is to ensure stable and reliable access to critical materials and energy sources. Then it focuses on logistical and resource development in order to realize this ambitious goal.