BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 17. Japan sees
Uzbekistan as one of its important strategic partners in Central
Asia, with the country's resource potential, growing industrial
base, and young workforce creating opportunities for deeper
economic cooperation, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and
Industry (METI) told Trend in an exclusive interview.
"Japan recognizes Uzbekistan as one of its important strategic
partners in Central Asia," the ministry said.
"We have high expectations for the regional exploration
activities to be carried out under the MoU that JOGMEC signed with
the Ministry of Mining Industry and Geology of Uzbekistan and the
University of Geological Sciences," METI said.
The ministry said the initiative is aligned with the outcomes of
the Japan-Uzbekistan summit meeting held in December, placing
critical-mineral exploration within the broader framework of
bilateral economic cooperation.
METI said Uzbekistan has significant potential to contribute to
the supply of minerals needed for industrial applications.
"We understand that Uzbekistan has a number of highly
prospective areas with significant potential to supply critical
minerals essential for industrial applications," the ministry
noted.
The assessment highlights Uzbekistan's growing importance for
Japan as Tokyo seeks to expand economic cooperation in areas linked
to industrial supply chains and resource development.
METI also described Uzbekistan as an important strategic partner
for Japan in Central Asia, pointing to the country's demographic
and economic characteristics.
According to METI, Uzbekistan's position is supported by its
status as the region's most populous country, as well as its young
workforce.
"With the largest population in the region and a young
workforce, it can be regarded as a key driver of Central Asia's
economic development," the ministry said.
METI added that Uzbekistan's potential extends beyond natural
resources, citing its growing industrial base and human capital as
additional factors supporting closer economic cooperation.
"In addition to its abundant resource potential, Uzbekistan
possesses a growing industrial base and significant human capital,
creating opportunities to further develop cooperation across a wide
range of sectors, including critical minerals, energy, and
infrastructure," the ministry said.
Against this backdrop, Japan sees cooperation with Uzbekistan as
part of a broader effort to expand its economic engagement across
Central Asia rather than focusing solely on resource
development.
Japan hopes to further deepen its economic engagement with
Central Asia through the advancement of mutually beneficial
projects with Uzbekistan and by strengthening economic cooperation
across the region, according to METI.
The ministry's comments indicate that critical-mineral
exploration is being viewed as one component of a wider
Japan-Uzbekistan economic partnership, with resource potential,
industrial development and infrastructure creating opportunities
for longer-term cooperation.
The MoU-related exploration activities are therefore expected to
provide a practical basis for assessing Uzbekistan's mineral
potential while contributing to Japan's broader engagement with the
country's economy and the Central Asian region.
