Japan and Central Asian Nations Conclude Inaugural Summit in Tokyo, Targeting $19 Billion in Business

Historic Summit Concludes in Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan – The inaugural summit between Japan and five Central Asian nations concluded on Saturday, December 20, 2025, marking a significant milestone in regional cooperation. The two-day event, held in Tokyo, saw leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan convene with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to deepen economic and strategic ties.

The summit culminated in the adoption of the Tokyo Declaration, a joint statement outlining key areas of future collaboration. This gathering represents the first time the 'Central Asia + Japan' dialogue format, established in 2004, has been elevated to the heads-of-state level.

$19 Billion Business Target and Key Declarations

A central outcome of the summit was Japan's commitment to a new business target of $19 billion (3 trillion yen) in projects across Central Asia over the next five years. This ambitious goal underscores Japan's intent to bolster its economic presence in the resource-rich region.

The Tokyo Declaration identified several priority areas for cooperation, including:

• Transportation infrastructure development
• Decarbonization and economic growth
• People-to-people exchanges

Additionally, the declaration emphasized strengthening critical minerals supply chains, fostering cooperation in artificial intelligence, and developing a logistics network connecting Central Asia to Europe via the Caspian Sea, effectively bypassing Russia. The leaders also affirmed the importance of a 'free and open international order based on the rule of law'.

Strategic Importance and Future Outlook

The summit is viewed as a strategic move by Japan to enhance its economic security and diversify its supply chains, particularly for rare earth elements, reducing dependence on other major powers. It also offers Central Asian nations an alternative partner amidst growing influence from Russia and China in the region.

During the event, more than 150 public and private sector documents were reportedly signed, signaling a broad scope of engagement. Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was among the attendees, and Kazakhstan is slated to assume the chairmanship of the C5+Japan dialogue for the next period, indicating continued high-level engagement.