BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, February 3. The Chairman of the Cabinet of the Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Adylbek Kasymaliev, has extended an invitation to Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to visit Kyrgyzstan in 2025, Trend reports.
This invitation was conveyed during a meeting with Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Japan, Akihisa Nagashima, who is currently visiting Kyrgyzstan on a working trip.
During the meeting, both sides discussed key areas of bilateral cooperation, including political, economic, programmatic, and regional issues. Kasymaliev highlighted the positive impact of President Sadyr Zhaparov's official visit to Japan in 2023, which gave a significant boost to the relationship between the two countries. He proposed that this momentum be maintained through regular high-level visits.
A major topic of discussion was the upcoming Summit of Heads of State from the Central Asia + Japan Dialogue, the first of its kind, which is set to take place in the near future.
Kasymaliev also emphasized Kyrgyzstan's strong economic growth, predicting a 9 percent increase in 2024, and pointed to ongoing reforms aimed at creating a favorable investment climate. He invited Japanese businesses to actively participate in key projects across Kyrgyzstan's economy.
Additionally, the head of the Cabinet mentioned Kyrgyzstan's preparations for participating in EXPO 2025 in Osaka, where Kyrgyzstan’s National Day will be celebrated on June 6, 2025.
Kasymaliev expressed gratitude to Japan for its long-standing support through mechanisms like Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Japanese Grant Aid for Human Resource Development (JDS), as well as the successful implementation of the One Village, One Product initiative. He also stressed the importance of continuing cooperation in education and human capital development.
In response, Nagashima, who is visiting Kyrgyzstan for the first time, reaffirmed Japan's commitment to its partnership with Kyrgyzstan and expressed interest in expanding cooperation in energy, tourism, and education.