BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 10. Uzbekistan and
Japan are moving to accelerate implementation of a $12 billion
portfolio of 75 projects agreed last year.
This was reflected in the statement by the Uzbek Ministry of
Investment, Industry and Trade, following the 18th meeting of the
Uzbekistan-Japan Economic Cooperation Committees held in
Tashkent.
According to the Ministry, the meeting the co-chaired by Uzbek
Minister Laziz Kudratov and Masayuki Tanimoto, chairman of the
Japan-Uzbekistan Committee and senior adviser to Mitsubishi
Corp.
"More than 130 Japanese participants, including representatives
of major corporations and development organizations, attended the
meeting. Japan’s State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
Kenji Yamada, Japanese Ambassador to Uzbekistan Kenji Hirata,
representatives of government agencies, financial institutions,
business associations and companies also participated," the
Ministry noted.
The strong interest from Japanese businesses builds on
agreements reached during the Central Asia-Japan summit and the
state visit in December 2025. The resulting portfolio of 75
projects, with a combined value of $12 billion, established a
long-term framework for economic cooperation, with the focus now
shifting toward implementation.
Uzbekistan’s economic growth is providing a favorable backdrop
for the projects. The economy expanded 7.7% in 2025 and grew 8.5%
in the first half of 2026.
The sides identified energy, chemical production, machinery,
critical minerals, health care and IT as priority areas, reflecting
growing demand for modern technologies and infrastructure.
Modernizing enterprises, increasing localization, deepening
raw-material processing, digitalization and expanding access to
foreign markets were also highlighted.
The participants discussed financial and organizational
conditions for investors, including expanding non-sovereign
financing and establishing a special economic zone. The measures
are intended to broaden access to capital, ready-to-use production
facilities and necessary infrastructure.
Digitalization was also highlighted as an important area for
further growth. More than 20 Japanese companies currently operate
as residents of IT Park Uzbekistan, while Uzbekistan’s total
exports of IT services have surpassed $1 billion.
The meeting’s practical session included presentations by Uzbek
government agencies, Japanese corporations, educational
institutions and financial organizations. Discussions focused on
industrial cooperation, digital transformation, mineral-resource
development, workforce training and business-support
mechanisms.
“Particular attention was paid to translating sector-specific
proposals into practical projects and strengthening direct
cooperation between companies and institutions of the two
countries,” the Uzbek Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade
said.
The meeting concluded with a ceremony for signing bilateral
documents, followed by direct negotiations and business discussions
between companies from Uzbekistan and Japan to coordinate next
steps and establish new partnerships.
