The first “Central Asia + Japan” dialogue and summit meeting was held in Kazakhstan this August, and it is expected to further promote cooperation between Japan and the five Central Asian countries. For more than 30 years, Japan has been cooperating in the creation of new countries in this region, which gained independence from the former Soviet Union. Among them, we will introduce Tajikistan’s water problems caused by climate change and JICA’s efforts to develop business human resources in Kyrgyzstan.
(For more information on past ties between Central Asia and Japan, click here.
Central Asia: The World’s Greatest Talent and Unknown Ties with Japan ｜ News / Media – JICA)
Sustainable water use is an urgent issue in Central Asia
Tajikistan, a water source in Central Asia, in danger of glacier extinction due to climate change
More than 90% of Tajikistan’s land area is mountainous. About 8,000 glaciers, mainly on the Pamir Plateau, are believed to account for 60% of the water sources in Central Asia. However, it is said that about 30% of the glaciers have disappeared over the past 50 years due to the effects of climate change. As demand for water increases due to economic growth and population growth after independence from the former Soviet Union, sustainable water use has become an urgent issue in Central Asia.
Tajikistan is home to glaciers covering an area of about 8,500㎢ (about the size of Hiroshima Prefecture). Melting snow in Tajikistan supports industry and livelihoods not only in Tajikistan but also in other countries in Central Asia (Photo: Michal Knitl /Shutterstock.com)
In the lower reaches of the Amu Darya River, which is the source of water for Tajikistan, the river dried up due to increased water intake from cotton cultivation and other activities, and the Aral Sea, which was once the world’s fourth largest in area, shrank. In addition, the military clash that occurred in the border region between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in 2022 is said to have been caused by a dispute over water use between residents, and it has been pointed out that water issues may continue to be a source of conflict in the future.
So says Mr. Shigetoshi Imai, Director of JICA’s Tajikistan Office. In Central Asia, about 85% of water consumed is for agricultural use, and water security is a major issue that also affects food security. In recent years, demand for hydroelectric power generation has also been increasing, making inter-national and cross-sectoral efforts necessary.
Against this backdrop, an international conference on water conservation was held this June under the leadership of Tajikistan, bringing together government officials and experts from more than 100 countries.
The 3rd High-Level International Conference on the International Decade of Action for Water held in June in the capital city of Dushanbe (photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan).
Director Imai, who participated in the conference, said that through discussions at the “Youth and Children’s Water Forum,” an event held together with UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund), he reaffirmed the significance of JICA’s ongoing activities. He said, “Currently, efforts to address water issues among nations are not progressing well due to the interests of upstream and downstream countries. Still, it is important to think about what we can do in the face of the challenges and take action. First of all, I felt that it is important for each country to be proactive in making effective use of the precious water resources that are available in their countries,” he said.
Introduction of a metered water rate system to ensure stable water supply services and raise awareness of water conservation
For sustainable water use, it is essential to develop infrastructure such as irrigation and water supply facilities, as well as a system and system for stable water delivery. To this end, JICA has been cooperating with Tajikistan since 2014 to provide water supply services in Khatlon, the most populous province in the country.
In Khatlon Province, the water supply system built in the former Soviet era was deteriorating, and leaks in the pipes were causing water waste. In addition, water charges are based on a fixed rate, and many residents have no awareness of turning off the tap. This resulted in a large amount of wasted water, and water supply was cut off at the end of the water supply area due to low water pressure,” said Kazumi Matsuda, a specialist who has been involved in water supply business in Tajikistan for more than 10 years.
(Left) Many of the existing deep wells were poorly constructed and left unattended due to problems such as sand in the pumped groundwater.
(Right) A public faucet left unattended, which was one of the causes of a large amount of wasted water.
JICA installed water meters in each household at the same time that water supply facilities were constructed. The introduction of a pay-as-you-go system, whereby residents pay a fee based on the amount of water used, has created an awareness of water conservation among the residents and greatly reduced the amount of wasted water. In addition, residents who were satisfied with the 24-hour water supply and other service improvements began to pay their bills, leading to stable management of the waterworks corporation.
A new 1,800 m3 elevated water tank, the largest of its kind in Central Asia (Pianj, Hatlon Province) Meters were installed in approximately 2,300 households served by the Water and Sewerage Authority, and training was provided to Water Authority technicians for maintenance and management (Hamadoni, Hatlon Province)
In Tajikistan, approximately 60% of the country’s 10 million people still do not have access to water supply. If we expand the knowledge gained in Khatlon Province and introduce a 100% metered rate system for water supply in Tajikistan, we will be able to provide water services to all citizens without developing new water sources. We hope to make efficient use of limited water resources and achieve the goal of “universal water supply”” (Matsuda, expert).
Mr. Imai, Director of JICA Tajikistan Office Mr. Matsuda, a water specialist who has been involved in the development of water supply facilities and the stable management of water utilities for 43 years, including in Nepal and Sierra Leone.
Developing Business Talent in Kyrgyzstan by Leveraging the Strengths of Japanese-Style Management
For the Central Asian countries that gained independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991, the development of human resources to nurture private enterprises and run businesses was a major challenge as they transitioned from a socialist to a market economy. Against this backdrop, Japan was one of the first to establish a Japanese Human Resource Development Center in Kyrgyzstan in 1995.
Since 2004, JICA has been offering a three-month practical business course called “Mini MBA” at the center, where participants learn Japanese-style management and know-how for starting a business. To date, more than 1,800 students have participated in the program, some of whom have gone on to become leading companies in Kyrgyzstan, such as a beverage manufacturer that boasts an overwhelming share of the domestic market.
Participants in the Kyrgyz-Japan Human Resources Development Center’s practical business management course “Mini MBA” Many graduates of the course are now active in a wide range of fields in the business world.
Under communism, people didn’t have the mindset to start their own business, but the Kyrgyz people are very independent by nature, and they are determined to grow their own business. I saw their way of thinking change rapidly as they learned business planning and other skills in the mini MBA program.”
This is what specialist Shinya Tanaka of the Kyrgyz-Japan Human Resources Development Center is focusing on now in his “Management School,” which will be launched in 2021. Successful business managers in Kyrgyzstan will learn about marketing and human resource management with a view to business matching with Japanese companies, and will also visit companies in Japan. The program has already begun to show positive results, with Kyrgyz supplement manufacturers beginning to do business with Japanese companies.
Expert Tanaka (front left) assists Kyrgyz apparel company executives participating in the management school and Japanese companies in individual business meetings.
After the Corona Disaster, more and more Japanese companies have expressed an interest in considering doing business in Kyrgyzstan, and there is also a movement by Japanese companies to move their markets from Russia to Central Asia due to the war in Ukraine. Kyrgyzstan still has a mountain of social issues, especially in the medical and educational fields, and the needs are high and the potential is great,” said Tanaka, an expert.
In the field of education, a Japanese publisher of educational book materials is working with the Kyrgyz-Japan Human Resource Development Center to provide translated materials and after-school classes, and has also begun to study the possibility of developing academic achievement tests and educational services for teachers. Kyrgyzstan is one of the most pro-Japanese countries in Central Asia. We hope to use Kyrgyzstan as a window to further support business development in Central Asia,” said Tanaka, looking ahead.
Elementary school students learning at an after-school math club using Japanese learning materials translated into Kyrgyz The “Kyrgyz Business mini EXPO” was held on the occasion of a visit to Japan by Kyrgyz executives. 15 Kyrgyz and 23 Japanese participants in 2024 held active business discussions.
Young Kyrgyzstan Talent Working in Japanese Companies
In addition to supporting the transition to a market economy, the Kyrgyz-Japan Human Resources Development Center focuses on efforts to promote the exchange of human resources between Japan and Kyrgyzstan. The center aims to provide young Kyrgyz personnel with a high level of education and language skills with opportunities for career development through work experience at Japanese companies, as well as to help revitalize business between the two countries in the future. Seven of the participants have already been employed by Japanese companies and are working as bridges between Japan and Kyrgyzstan.
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