Japan to host maiden summit with Central Asian nations this week

Japan will host its first summit with leaders of five Central Asian nations on Friday, the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo said Wednesday.

The two-day summit, hosted by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, aims to expand trade and investment, with both sides expected to exchange views on promoting autonomous and sustainable development in the region, the ministry said.

Leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are expected to attend the summit, where they will also discuss international affairs and strengthening bilateral relations.

Among other issues, the two sides are expected to address the use of artificial intelligence and supply chain cooperation.

Takaichi will also hold separate bilateral meetings with the participating Central Asian leaders.

Japan's Economy Ministry will host a "Central Asia plus Japan" business forum on the sidelines of the summit.

The summit was originally scheduled to be held in Kazakhstan in August 2024 but was postponed following a mega earthquake advisory issued in Japan.