The Japanese government plans to host a summit with the leaders of five Central Asian countries in Tokyo on December 19-20, according to Nippon.
In addition to the main summit, bilateral meetings are also planned between Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the Central Asian leaders, aiming to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties.
Taro Aso, vice president of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), announced the plans during a meeting of the LDP’s parliamentary association, which works to promote friendly relations between Japan and Central Asian nations.
"Over the past six months, Russia, China, the United States, and other countries have held summits with Central Asian countries. It is extremely important from a diplomatic point of view for Japan to successfully hold such summits," Aso said.
The Japan-Central Asia Summit was initially scheduled to take place in Kazakhstan in August 2024. The visit was canceled at the last minute due to warnings of a potential major earthquake in Japan.
The 2025 summit, announced in late November, is expected to focus on enhancing cooperation in multiple areas, strengthening economic security, and building stronger ties with resource-rich Central Asian countries, according to Japanese officials.
