Japan hopes to boost ties with Central Asian countries through green technologies
The Japanese government intends to strengthen decarbonization ties with five Central Asian countries by signing memorandums of cooperation. Following the government's plan, Japanese firms will help enterprises in the region to introduce renewable energy sources and energy-saving technologies.
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are rich in natural resources, and the G7 countries are striving to expand ties with Central Asia, Japan hopes to do this with the help of its environmental technologies – an area in which it is a recognized leader.
Japan hopes to sign a memorandum with the governments of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in the field of economics and energy in January. Ken Saito, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, plans to meet with the relevant ministers of the two countries. Japan is also expected to sign similar agreements with Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, The Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan's leading national newspaper, wrote on Sunday.
The Japanese government is considering the possibility of using renewable energy sources, hydrogen and ammonia, which do not emit carbon dioxide during combustion, the publication explains.
It is expected that within the framework of intergovernmental cooperation, Japanese enterprises will also begin to take concrete steps to cooperate with local businesses.
So, Toyota Tsusho Corp. He plans to start research in Uzbekistan with the aim of introducing domestic wind energy in the country through Eurus Energy Holdings Corp., a wind energy company under its wing. For its part, Sojitz Corp. It plans to start construction work on converting thermal power plants into more efficient facilities in cooperation with the French electricity producer Electricite de France and others.
In Kazakhstan, Yokogawa Electric Corp. and Marubeni Corp. They plan to start negotiations on energy saving projects at oil refineries.
The five Central Asian countries boast rich reserves of natural gas and other resources. The author of the publication notes that Russia and China are striving to strengthen ties with these countries, including through high-level meetings. The G7 states are also stepping up efforts to develop relations with Central Asia.
In September, the United States and Germany held their first high-level meetings with five Central Asian countries.
In addition, representatives of the five countries were invited to participate in the meeting of the G7 Foreign Ministers via video link in November.
In September, Japan created a new framework for dialogue on decarbonization and the energy sector within the framework of the Central Asia plus Japan Dialogue.
The government is currently trying to organize summits with the countries of the region in 2024, The Yomiuri Shimbun noted.
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