The “Central Asia – Japan” Think Tank Forum was held at UWED

On September 24, 2026, the University of World Economy and Diplomacy hosted the second day of the international think tank forum “Central Asia and Japan: Promoting a Common Vision for Development and Cooperation”.

The forum brought together representatives of think tanks, research institutes, government agencies, and business circles, as well as leading scientists and experts from Japan, Central Asian countries, and Azerbaijan.

The event served as a continuation of expert engagement aimed at developing practical mechanisms to implement the agreements reached during the first "Central Asia plus Japan" Dialogue Summit, held on December 20, 2025, in Tokyo.

The “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue was initiated by Japan in 2004, and over the subsequent two decades, it has become a sustainable mechanism for multilateral cooperation between Japan and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The first summit of heads of state gave new impetus to this format and outlined promising areas for further partnership.

During the Summit, the Tokyo Declaration was adopted and the CA+JAD Tokyo Initiative was launched, establishing three key areas of cooperation: “Green Development and Sustainability”, “Connectivity”, and “Human Capital Development”.

These very priorities formed the basis of the expert discussions at the forum.

During the event, participants discussed prospects for the further development of the “Central Asia plus Japan” dialogue, issues of sustainable economic development, energy security, green transition, and decarbonization, as well as cooperation in the field of critical minerals.

Particular attention was paid to developing transport and digital connectivity, international transport corridors, the introduction of artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, and expanding cooperation in digital transformation.

A significant portion of the discussions was dedicated to developing human capital, education, and scientific cooperation. Experts considered opportunities for expanding academic and scientific exchanges, personnel training, implementing joint research projects, and strengthening interaction between universities and think tanks in Japan and Central Asian countries.

Hosting the expert forum was a practical step in implementing the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to hold a meeting of leading Central Asian and Japanese think tanks in Tashkent. This initiative aims to generate new ideas and practical recommendations, as well as to create a sustainable expert channel for developing long-term cooperation.

The forum was jointly organized by the International Institute for Central Asia (IICA) and the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia at the University of Tokyo.

Hosting the forum at UWED underscored the university's important role as a platform for international expert and academic dialogue on pressing issues of regional and global development.

Following the discussions, participants emphasized the need to further strengthen expert interaction between Japan and Central Asian countries, develop joint research, and formulate practical recommendations for implementing the agreements reached at the heads of state level.

The forum served as an important platform for exchanging views and developing new approaches to fostering long-term partnerships between Japan and Central Asia, based on sustainable development, connectivity, innovation, and human capital development.