The Government of Japan is considering hosting a meeting between the foreign ministers of Japan and five Central Asian countries, the Japan Times newspaper reported on Wednesday with reference to several Japanese governmental sources.
Foreign Minister of Japan Yoshimasa Hayashi and his counterparts from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are expected to attend the meeting, likely to be held in Tokyo.
Central Asia is a key geopolitical hub linking Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and has abundant natural resources, including oil, according to the report.
The Japanese government established a framework for dialogue with the five Central Asian countries in 2004, regarding such relationships as strategically important.
Hayashi held an online meeting with the foreign ministers of the five countries in April, but there have been no face-to-face gatherings since May 2019.
