Over the past 20 years, Japanese businesses have invested about $8.3bn in the Kazakh economy, reflecting strong and growing ties between the two countries. This long-standing partnership took another step forward as Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov met with Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture Hidehiko Yuzaki to discuss further cooperation on humanitarian and nuclear non-proliferation initiatives.
The meeting focused on enhancing trade relations, strengthening people-to-people connections, and deepening strategic cooperation. Prime Minister Bektenov noted that Kazakhstan is actively advancing its Enhanced Strategic Partnership with Japan, in line with the objectives set by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
Special attention was given to the regional relationship between Hiroshima Prefecture and Kazakhstan’s Abai Region. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of continuing the “Hiroshima–Semey” initiative, a symbolically significant project linking communities with shared histories of nuclear testing and its consequences. They also discussed collaboration within the Mayors for Peace movement, which promotes a global ban on nuclear weapons.
Governor Yuzaki emphasized Japan’s appreciation for Kazakhstan’s stance on nuclear disarmament.
“We highly appreciate Kazakhstan’s support on the international stage,” he said. “One of the goals of our visit is to strengthen friendship. In Hiroshima, we believe that we have an important mission — to work toward a world free of nuclear weapons. Kazakhstan is a member of the Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone movement in Central Asia.”
Prime Minister Bektenov expressed Kazakhstan’s readiness to boost cooperation in medical and social support for victims of radiation.
“Kazakhstan is committed to deepening cooperation with Japan in areas such as medical and social support for victims of radiation, as well as the development and implementation of technologies in the field of radiation medicine,” he said. “We express our gratitude to the Government of Japan for its intention to provide a grant to address the consequences of nuclear tests in Semey. We are confident that this initiative will have a sustainable long-term impact on improving the quality of medical care.”
The two sides also discussed coordination ahead of the upcoming Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), signaling shared commitment to global disarmament goals.
In 2024, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Japan totaled $1.8bn. More than 60 Japanese companies currently operate in Kazakhstan, including major firms such as Toyota, Hitachi, and Marubeni.
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