Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov participated in the Sixth Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue that took place in the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat on May 1.

According to the Tajik MFA information department, issues related to efforts in areas such as ensuring regional security, cooperation in trade, economic, investment, humanitarian and cultural spheres were discussed at the meeting.  The issue of climate change and prevention of environmental and natural disasters was also the subject of extensive discussion and exchange of views.

Following the meeting, foreign ministers of participating members of “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue signed a Joint Statement and adopted the Roadmap for Regional Cooperation in Transport and Logistics. 

Meanwhile, according to information posted on the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s website, “the relaxation of the visa requirements for short-term stay for nationals (ordinary passport holders) of five Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan)” was announced at the meeting in Ashgabat and “it shall come into effect for applications submitted on or after June 5, 2017.”

The next meeting of foreign ministers of participating members of “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue will take place in Dushanbe in 2018. 

The Central Asia plus Japan Dialogue is a political initiative between Japan and the Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, with the goal to create “a new framework for cooperation, thereby elevating relations between Japan and Central Asia to a new level.”  The dialogue, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, is also meant to serve as a forum to promote inter-regional cooperation.  Turkmenistan, maintaining its policy of neutrality, participates only as an observer.

The dialogue was formally declared on August 28, 2004 in Astana, Kazakhstan at a meeting of foreign ministers from the four participating Central Asian governments and Japan.  A joint statement was issued which outlined the parties’ views on four areas: fundamental principles and values, expansion of Japanese-Central Asian relations, intra-regional cooperation within Central Asia, and cooperation in the international arena.  The joint statement also outlined several areas of potential Japanese-Central Asian cooperation.