Few people may be able to answer all of the countries in Central Asia when they hear the word “Central Asia. In fact, Japan has been deeply involved in the nation-building of this region, which gained independence from the former Soviet Union. And Central Asia and Japan, which is attracting attention for its abundant natural resources and logistics, are scheduled to hold their first summit meeting this year. We will unravel the hidden connections between Central Asia and Japan.
Astana, the new capital of Kazakhstan, with its futuristic landscape, was designed by the late architect Kisho Kurokawa under the auspices of JICA’s urban planning assistance. (Photo: evgenykz/Shutterstock.com)
Began providing assistance to countries that were familiar with Japan as soon as they gained independence from the Soviet Union
Central Asia refers to the five countries located in the middle of the Eurasian continent: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, which gained independence in 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed. The following year, Japan was among the first to establish diplomatic relations with the five Central Asian countries, and in 1993, Japan initiated development cooperation to help them transform from socialist to democratic countries with market economies.
At the time, Japan was the first country in the world to establish ties with Central Asia, partly because of business expectations for countries transitioning to a market economy and partly because Japan wanted to deepen its ties with the countries of the former Soviet Union,” he said.
Hideki Tanabe, a full-time counselor in JICA’s East and Central Asia Department, says, “I have been involved in development cooperation in Central Asia for about 25 years, mainly in Uzbekistan. He has been involved in development cooperation mainly in Central Asia for about 25 years, and when JICA opened its first field office in Central Asia in Uzbekistan in 1999, he worked hard as the first staff member of the office. He has an unforgettable episode from that time.
Mr. Tanabe is one of JICA’s foremost experts on Central Asia and was posted as the Director of JICA’s Tajikistan Office when it was established in 2017.
I got into a cab in the capital city of Tashkent,” he said, “right after I was transferred, I was nervous because I didn’t know what to expect. The driver asked me where I was from, and when I told him I was from Japan, he said, ‘This is the first time I’ve picked up a Japanese person. He was overjoyed, saying, ‘This is the first time I’ve had a Japanese passenger, and now I can brag to my friends. I was delighted to see how friendly the driver was to a country that, from the Japanese point of view, is unfamiliar to them.
The countries of Central Asia are generally said to be pro-Japanese, and one of the reasons for this is the following episode from a past war in Uzbekistan. After World War II, many Japanese soldiers and civilians captured by the Soviet Union were interned in Central Asia and forced to engage in forced labor. One of the buildings constructed at that time was the Navoi Theater in Tashkent. The citizens of Tashkent, moved by the sight of the disciplined Japanese who worked hard every day despite being prisoners of war, would sometimes offer their food to the theater. The Naboi Theater did not collapse when the city was devastated by the great earthquake that hit Tashkent in 1996, and the story of the hard work and technical skills of the Japanese has been passed down through the generations in Uzbekistan.
I remember feeling strongly that I wanted to do work that would not only maintain the positive image of Japan and the Japanese people that our predecessors had built up, but also further enhance that trust,” he recalls. Mr. Tanabe recalls those days.
The Navoi Theatre, still popular with the citizens of Tashkent.
On its outer wall are inscribed words praising the achievements of the Japanese who were involved in its construction.
Japan acts as a catalyst to promote cooperation within the Central Asian region
The relationship between Japan and Central Asia, with its abundant resources, has since deepened further, and in 2004 the “Central Asia + Japan” Dialogue was launched. This is an initiative in which Japan acts as a catalyst to promote cooperation among the five Central Asian countries and support their independent development.
After independence, each of the five countries had different bases for economic development, different levels of reform, and different political situations, and there was concern that the region might become disjointed. On the other hand, the region is sandwiched between Russia and China, and there is a desire to strengthen cooperation and linkages within the region. It was against this backdrop that Japan sought to act as a catalyst.”
Japan’s support for strengthening intra-regional cooperation and connectivity in Central Asia, which Japan initiated ahead of the rest of the world, is now beginning to take on greater significance in its 20th year. In addition to the abundance of oil, natural gas, and other resources, Central Asia’s potential for economic growth and the international situation, including the U.S.-China conflict and the war in Ukraine, are drawing attention to the geopolitical importance of the region. Expectations are also growing for a “Caspian Sea route” that would connect Central Asia and Europe without passing through Russia, which is under economic sanctions.
Against this background, since last year, Russia, the EU, China, the Gulf States, and even the United States and Germany have held their first summits with Central Asia, creating a situation that can be called a struggle for Central Asia. Japan plans to hold its first summit this year to further strengthen the dialogue with Central Asia that it has cultivated over the years.
Focus on building people to create a democratic nation
JICA has been promoting a number of cooperation projects in Central Asia, including democratic nation-building, economic reforms toward a market economy, and the development of infrastructure, education, and health systems.
Widening of the main highway leading from Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, to the Afghan border, with the hope that JICA support will revitalize the economy by improving connectivity with neighboring countries (Photo: Takeshi Kuno)
One of the most important areas of focus was human resource development. Before independence, the Soviet Union was a socialist, centrally planned economy controlled by Moscow, and all workers were civil servants. From there, private companies had to be created and business had to be run. In addition to government officials, it was essential to develop business players for the transition to a market economy,” said Tanabe.
JICA therefore launched a business training program at the Japan Centers in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, teaching everything from the basics of starting a business to Japanese-style management. Mr. Tanabe recalls that the participants, who were selected from among dozens of applicants, showed a great deal of eagerness to learn. The president of Uzbekistan’s largest building construction company is one of those who studied business here. The network of graduates of the Japan Center is now a catalyst for business partnerships with Japanese companies.
Many young people participated in the business training held at the Uzbekistan-Japan Center in December 2023 (Uzbekistan-Japan Center, Business Course Instructor: Mr. Akifumi Nakanishi)
In the area of diplomacy and public administration, we have established a study abroad program for young administrators who will become future leaders of their countries to study at graduate schools in Japan. By 2023, the number of students from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan will total 826. After returning to their home countries, they have gone on to serve as Minister of Justice (Kyrgyzstan), Minister of Labor, Employment, and Migration (Tajikistan), and Director General of the Development Agency (Uzbekistan), regardless of gender, creating a bridge between Japan and Central Asia.
Central Asia, Caucasus, Mongolia – cooperation to connect all of Inland Asia
Regarding future development cooperation, Mr. Tanabe says, “It is important for Japan to support the cooperation among the five Central Asian countries from the side as an intermediary, and to play a role in connecting the entire Inland Asia region, including the Caucasus region of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan in the west, as well as Mongolia in the east. It is important for Japan to play a role in connecting the Caucasus region, including Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan in the west, and Mongolia in the east.
As a landlocked region, it is essential for Central Asia to improve its connectivity with neighboring regions for the sake of economic growth within the region. Even Mongolia, which is a step ahead in the degree of reform, is seeking Central Asia as a new market. It is now necessary to have a bird’s eye view of the entire Inland Asia region, including the Caspian Sea route that connects to Europe via the Caucasus.
When I talk with people in Central Asia, they are really happy that we are working together with Japan to build their country, and they have high expectations for Japanese technology and investment. It is really rewarding to be reminded by local people that Japan’s cooperation has been useful. After all, carefully building people-to-people relationships is the root of strengthening relations between countries.
Mr. Tanabe, who says so, is looking toward cooperation for further growth in Central Asia.
© Source JICA
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