Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Dr. Akihiko Tanaka, the President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), recently visited Uzbekistan, where he held talks with the President of Uzbekistan and other key officials.

During his visit, Tanaka also toured several significant JICA-financed projects across various sectors, including energy, transport, healthcare, and education.

Following these discussions, Tanaka gave an exclusive interview to UzDaily, highlighting JICA’s ongoing contributions to Uzbekistan’s development. In the interview, he shared key insights into JICA’s efforts to support sustainable growth, foster human resource development, and deepen bilateral cooperation between Japan and Uzbekistan.

Dr. Tanaka also discussed the future of their partnership, particularly in areas such as green energy, infrastructure, and governance reforms.

- How does JICA assess the potential for Uzbekistan to serve as a regional hub for Japanese investments and expertise?

Uzbekistan is one of the most promising countries to work with for Japan. The country has demonstrated a strong will for economic and democratic development.

Uzbekistan’s stability and foundational strengths make it an ideal environment for further Japanese investment. In the area of ODA, Uzbekistan offers a broader scope for JICA’s various assistance schemes, including sovereign loans, private sector investments, technical cooperation, grant assistance, and volunteer programs.

This allows us to provide a comprehensive range of support, tailored to the specific needs and opportunities within Uzbekistan.

- Considering JICA’s regional strategy in Central Asia, how does cooperation with Uzbekistan fit into the broader framework of regional connectivity and economic integration?

Uzbekistan plays a pivotal role in JICA’s regional strategy in Central Asia.

Through cooperation with Uzbekistan, we aim to enhance regional connectivity and economic integration by improving infrastructure, trade, and cross-border cooperation.

We are working closely with Uzbekistan to promote its role as a key partner in Central Asia’s development and regional stability.

- What is the main purpose of your visit to Uzbekistan, and what specific issues were on the agenda during your meetings with Uzbek officials?

This is my first visit to Uzbekistan as JICA President although I have visited your country as a scholar in 1998. The main purpose of this  visit as JICA

President is to strengthen the bilateral relationship between Japan and Uzbekistan and to explore new opportunities for cooperation.

I discussed ongoing projects, areas for future collaboration, and initiatives related to economic development and sustainable growth. I also signed Loan Agreement for deeper collaboration in health sectors.

- Are there plans to sign new agreements or extend existing partnerships in specific sectors?

Yes, we are currently discussing the possibility of signing new agreements to further deepen our cooperation in various sectors, including green energy, healthcare, and transportation.

We also plan to extend existing partnerships to enhance the impact of our ongoing projects, especially in areas critical to Uzbekistan’s long-term development.

We have signed US$150 million equivalent Loan Agreement for a new health sector project for the construction of neurology stroke center  with government of Uzbekistan.

This project is expected to contribute to the development of advanced medical care system for stroke and rehabilitation in Uzbekistan.

In addition, we are currently conducting research to form new ODA loan projects in areas of livestock farming, which is essential for food security, and energy-efficiency necessary for climate change mitigation. Together with the government of Uzbekistan, we are formulating new projects in these areas.

Furthermore, to promote industrial diversification and sophistication, we are supporting business talent development at the Uzbekistan Japan Center for Human Resource Development (UJC) and researcher training through the Uzbekistan Japan Center for Youth Innovation (UJICY).

We are also fostering industrial human resources through employment opportunities in Japan. Cooperation in these human resource development areas aligns with the president’s emphasis on talent development, and we aim to expand these efforts dynamically in the future.

In Japan, where its population is decreasing, it is crucial to attract talents from overseas countries in order to develop its competitiveness and dynamics of industries. I strongly believe people in Uzbekistan have great potentials to contribute to development of industries in Japan and their home country.

To this end, a new study will begin in March to support upgrading engineering education in Uzbekistan. Since Japan’s engineering education is characterized by its emphasis on not only theory but also practical application through laboratory-based education, we expect this project would contribute to addressing a significant increase in the number of students and quality of education issues in Uzbekistan.

What concrete outcomes do you expect from this visit in terms of strengthening bilateral cooperation?

We have already made significant achievement  such as the signing of new agreements, the initiation of new projects, and the reinforcement of our ongoing partnerships.

I would like to make my visit a milestone to strengthen the frameworks for cooperation, ensuring that future initiatives align more closely with Uzbekistan’s national development goals and the needs of its people.

- Over the past few years, JICA has been actively involved in various sectors of Uzbekistan’s economy. Could you highlight some of the most impactful projects completed under JICA’s assistance?

JICA has been actively conducting various activities in Uzbekistan with financial volume of over US$4 billion.

One of our proudest achievements is in the energy sector, where JICA-supported projects contribute to about 20% of Uzbekistan’s total power generation capacity. This effort is part of our broader mission to help Uzbekistan achieve a sustainable and resilient future.

JICA has also been involved in the rehabilitation of irrigation system in Amu-Bukhara, project to support the agricultural sector to enhance productivity, and the modernization of Uzbekistan’s healthcare systems.

Recently, we started enhancing industrial human resources through the opportunities to work in Japan, which provide employment and career development opportunities to increasing Uzbek young generation.

- How has JICA’s cooperation contributed to the development of infrastructure, particularly in areas like transport, healthcare, and education?

JICA’s cooperation has greatly contributed to the development of Uzbekistan’s infrastructure.

In transport, we have supported the improvement of airport and railway infrastructures in the first 2 decades after independence. Especially, JICA has financed the construction and electrification of the railway systems in Kashkadarya and in Surhandarya.

We are proud that some bridges critical to the transportation of the country were built by Japanese company with their quality technology. We have recently started the new survey in the transportation infrastructures to contribute to this sector further.

In healthcare, JICA has been working with Uzbek medical institutions in prevention of non-communicative diseases and on supplying of medical equipment to hospital and clinics.

Both contribute to enhance the quality of specialized, high technological health care in terms of diagnostics, treatment and prevention of primary diseases, introduction of advanced methods and technologies of health care. Quality development of human resources are also targeted in these projects.

In education, we have helped improve the quality of education through technical cooperation programs, various scholarship opportunities, and the establishment of training centers to build local human capacity.

The assistance covers all spheres of education from the pre-school and inclusive education to higher education. We also find the needs to assist improving the quality of engineering education through exchange of faculty members with Japanese universities.

- What are the current priority areas for JICA in Uzbekistan, and how have they evolved in recent years?

The priority areas for JICA in Uzbekistan have evolved to align with the country’s development goals considering advantages of Japanese resources

Japan’s strength and added value come from our development history.

Many Japanese good practices have already been introduced into Uzbekistan. For example, energy conservation is one of what Japan has achieved in our history as natural resource limited country.

Business and engineering education enabled us to become a global leader of manufacturing industry. Development of internal transport connectivity  enabled us to mobilize even a not-so-vast territory as effectively as possible.

We are now exploring more opportunities of cooperation in promoting green energy, strengthening connectivity, and human resource development especially.

- Given the growing importance of sustainable development, are there any new green energy or environmental initiatives planned under JICA’s support?

Yes, sustainable development is a core focus of JICA’s future initiatives in Uzbekistan. Up to now, JICA has funded two wind power PPP projects and one solar power PPP projects here in Uzbekistan so far through non-sovereign loan to help energy transition.

We are currently planning to propose introducing an energy conservation auditor system and new energy-efficient equipment in the private sectors. 

These projects aim to create a more sustainable and environmentally responsible future for Uzbekistan.

- How does JICA plan to contribute to Uzbekistan’s ongoing reforms in governance and public administration?

JICA is supporting Uzbekistan’s reforms in governance through capacity building programs for government officials in the field of combatting corruption and civil legislation.

We work closely with related governmental institutions in the areas of preventing corruption in public procurement and raising public awareness.

Under the program of “Enhancement of Judicial Ability to Strengthen the Protection of Rights in Free-Market Economy System", JICA has been assisting to update the judicial code in order to make them more appropriate in the current situation.

A key for good governance and public administration is, needless to say, human capacity. JICA has provided scholarship for studying in Japan to more than 400 public officials. Including short-term training, we have provided training opportunities for more than 3,000 people to develop capacity in various fields.

- How does JICA plan to strengthen people-to-people ties, such as through educational exchanges and technical training programs?

JICA plans to continue and expand educational exchanges and technical training programs between Japan and Uzbekistan. By providing scholarships, facilitating internships, and offering capacity-building programs, we aim to strengthen mutual understanding and build long-term people-to-people ties.

These programs are crucial for developing skilled professionals who can contribute to Uzbekistan’s future development. In addition, year by year the number of Uzbekistan people working in Japan is increasing. These human relationships in the private sector through business fields definitely strengthen people to people tie. JICA, as a public organization, is supporting in this area by facilitating both sides so that Uzbekistan people can gain precious experience in Japan.

Also, I believe that the activities of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) are a prime example of Japan’s approach to international cooperation, which truly brings people together. From the perspective of JICA projects in Uzbekistan, 2025 is a significant year, marking the 25th anniversary of the JOCV’s presence, which began in 2000.

More than 370 volunteers have been dispatched so far, serving as a bridge between Japan and Uzbekistan. I believe that through their dedicated efforts, the bond between the people of Japan and Uzbekistan has grown stronger, and we look forward to further expanding this connection in the future.