Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi recently hosted a significant summit in Tokyo, bringing together leaders from five Central Asian nations. This will be Japan’s first-ever official summit with Central Asia. It underscores the region’s growing geopolitical significance as Japan seeks to expand its leverages with growing pressure from Russia and China.
During the summit, Takaichi and the Central Asian leaders agreed to collaborate on several critical fronts, including artificial intelligence (AI) applications in mining technology. This new partnership seeks to leverage cutting-edge technologies. In doing so, we will provide greater improvement of extraction and management of natural resources to the benefit of Japan and our partner nations.
Some of the discussions explicitly addressed making sure that we had steady, predictable access to natural resources. Japan continues to depend on Central Asia’s vast reserves. The country is currently developing over 100 projects in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The winning projects address a multitude of sectors, including energy, transportation, and beyond. They demonstrate Japan’s deep desire to play a positive role in advancing economic collaboration across the region.
Kazakhstan’s oil-fueled economy is in trouble — even before the current coronavirus crisis. A recent drone strike on Russian assets in Ukraine has revealed cracks in the supply chain armor. Against this backdrop, Japan’s long-standing quest for stable resource supplies takes on new significance.
Perhaps the most jaw-dropping investment of the summit was a $1 billion new airport in Uzbekistan. This ambitious initiative is currently being spearheaded by Japan’s Sojitz Corporation. This monumental investment captures not only Japan’s economic interests, but its desire to establish itself as a leader in sustainable long-term infrastructure development in Central Asia.
The summit was more than a static economic forum. It gave Takaichi a chance to showcase the growing geopolitical significance of Central Asia, with its rich energy resources. At the same time, the region’s strategic importance is increasing. In response, the United States has dispatched top officials to engage with Central Asian leaders, attempting to counterbalance both Russian and Chinese influence, and further muddying the geopolitical waters.