President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan hosted a Japanese delegation led by Tadashi Maeda, Chairman of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), and finalised an agreement on a three-year Cooperation Programme aimed at enhancing economic ties and joint projects with Japanese companies.

During the meeting, both parties expressed satisfaction with the progress made since the high-level visit to Japan in December 2019, which significantly elevated bilateral relations. 

The volume of mutual trade and Japanese investments in Uzbekistan has been steadily increasing, leading to the establishment of new joint ventures.

President Mirziyoyev acknowledged the pivotal role of JBIC in implementing priority investment projects in Uzbekistan. 

Currently, the portfolio of joint projects exceeds $3.7bn, covering sectors such as petrochemicals, textiles, energy, and infrastructure modernisation.

The activities of Sojitz Corporation in Uzbekistan were also highlighted, particularly its significant contributions to the oil and gas sector. 

The opening of Sojitz's representative office in Tashkent was noted as a positive development in fostering closer economic ties.

President Mirziyoyev emphasised the importance of promptly preparing and executing new cooperation projects involving Japanese companies, particularly in green energy, geology, infrastructure modernisation, public utilities, and healthcare.

An agreement was also reached with Sojitz Corporation on a comprehensive roadmap to implement promising projects in Uzbekistan's high-tech sectors.