Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, was the site of a significant business forum on August 9, which was part of the “Central Asia + Japan” dialogue. This event attracted over 450 representatives from Central Asian nations and Japan, who gathered to explore ways to enhance economic relations and expand cooperation across various sectors, including digitalisation, transport, logistics, agriculture, and heavy industry.
The forum was marked by the signing of more than 30 bilateral agreements involving companies and organisations from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Japan. These agreements focused on collaborative projects in infrastructure, science, technology, and other key sectors. Among the notable agreements between Kazakhstan and Japan was a significant financial commitment by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, which, in partnership with the JSC Development Bank of Kazakhstan, agreed to invest $200 million in joint ventures in energy, infrastructure, machine engineering, and the food industry.
Additionally, Kazakh Invest and Japan’s Fitech company agreed to collaborate on producing fire-resistant materials in Kazakhstan, with plans to export these products to international markets. In another development, JSC KazIOR and FUJIFILM signed a memorandum to advance mobile medical complexes for radiology, mammography, and endoscopy. Also, LLP Kazakhmys Corporation, LLP Eurasian Machinery, and Hitachi Construction Machinery formed a partnership to develop a new mining project.
Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister, Olzhas Bektenov, addressed the forum, highlighting the importance of cooperation between Central Asia and Japan in transferring advanced technologies and producing high-value-added products. He discussed the potential for establishing joint innovation clusters, technology parks, and incubators. Furthermore, Bektenov encouraged deeper collaboration in developing rare earth metal deposits and implementing joint projects in the transport and logistics sector, noting the vast opportunities that Central Asia’s transit potential offers for Japanese trade.
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