During the visit, the Uzbek delegation paid a visit to Uzbekistan House in Shimogamachi, Fukushima Prefecture and held several negotiations with officials of Japan. The sides discussed perspectives of development of political, cultural-humanitarian, trade-economic and investment, as well as inter-parliamentary cooperation between Uzbekistan and Japan.

Japan Prime Minister Nato Kan, during the meeting with the Uzbek delegation, expressed gratitude to the authorities of Uzbekistan for support of Japan candidacy as permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Prime Minister underlined that the organization of the first inter-parliamentary forum with participation of Parliamentarian League of Friendship (PLF) of two states will become important milestone in further development of inter-parliamentary relations between Uzbekistan and Japn. He congratulates the Uzbek delegation with successful organization of forum. Nato Kan stated that Parliament Leagues of Friendship with Uzbekistan actively function at the Parliament of Japan. He added that joint events on boosting parliamentary exchange will create favourable terms for further expansion of inter-parliamentary relations between two states.

He also underlined that Uzbekistan is rich for natural resources and using this important potential, it is important to lift partnership between two states to new level. Currently, there is agreement on liberalizing, encouraging and protecting investments between Uzbekistan and Japan and Investment Forum of Uzbekistan was held in Tokyo in April 2010, which are evidences for gradual development of economic cooperation of two states.

Japan Prime Minister expressed hope for further continuation of fruitful trade-economic interactions, including jointly developing natural resources, conducting exploration works and joint developing fields.

During the meeting with the State Minister of National Strategy, chairperson of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), general-secretary of Parliament League “DPJ-Uzbekistan” Koichiro Genba, it was underlined that members of both DPJ and Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDPJ) participated at the forum, which is rare event, when MPs of two political parties gather in one place and make efforts to develop cooperation with other foreign state.

This shows intend of the Japanese side to promote relations with Uzbekistan through Parliamentary Leagues of Cooperation “DPJ – Uzbekistan” and “LDPJ – Uzbekistan”. Genba underlined that Uzbekistan is important for Japan and expressed gratitude for the visit of the parliamentary delegation of Uzbekistan.

First Deputy Finance Minister Mitsuru Sakurai and Deputy Finance Minister of Japan Fumihiko Igarashi expressed gratitude for the meeting of the Uzbek President Islam Karimov with Finance Minister Nato Kan (currently Prime Minister) within the 43rd meeting of the ADB Annual Meeting in May 2010 in Tashkent. It was said that the sides had constructive dialogue on wide-scale issues of bilateral cooperation and joint interaction at international arena.

Mitsuru Sakurai noted that Japan government has special attention to deepening bilateral cooperation with Uzbekistan.

Speaking about bilateral relations, Mitsuru Sakurai and Fumihiko Igarashi underlined that it is important for Japan to expand the volume of trade and investments between Uzbekistan and Japan.

Speaker of Representatives Chamber of Parliament Takahiro Yokomichi praised activity of Parliamentary Leagues of Cooperation “DPJ – Uzbekistan” and “LDPJ – Uzbekistan”. He noted gradual character of the Uzbek-Japanese economic relations and underlined importance of signing of the agreement on liberalizing, protecting and encouraging investments in 2008.

Yokomichi said that the direct flights of Uzbekistan Havo Yollari between Uzbekistan and Japan are important for developing human exchange between two states, and increasing tourism inflow from Japan to Uzbekistan.

Speaker noted that he was pleased to find out that Japan language is teached in many educational establishments.

Yokomichi highly rated national programme on training specialists, which has important for constructing developed state.

Chairman of Parliamentary Friendship League “LDPJ - Uzbekistan”, former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso underlined that Uzbekistan is important state in Central Asia and Eurasia and achieved great successes in their development in 20 years. He praised third meeting of Foreign Ministers of Central Asia plus Japan dialogue in August 2010.

Aso welcomed establishment of inter-parliamentary group “Uzbekistan-Japan” led by deputy speaker of Legislative Chamber in 2010 and expressed hope for further developing cooperation between two states. He expressed readiness to develop issue on organizing the second meeting of inter-parliamentary group “Uzbekistan-Japan” in one of ancient cities of Uzbekistan.

Chairperson of the Supreme Court of Japan Hironobu Takesaki noted that Japan established close cooperation to strengthen interaction of cooperation in all areas after Uzbekistan gained independence. In this context, he expressed his intention further develop cooperation with Uzbekistan.

Hironobu Takesaki briefed the Uzbek delegation on system of Supreme Court of Japan and system of people assessors, introduced in 2009.

The Japanese side also familiarized with judicial-legal and democratic reforms in Uzbekistan. It was noted that Uzbekistan is one few states, which abolished death punishment.

Aizuwakamatsu mayor Ichiro Kanke stated that Uzbekistan is a center of Great Silk Road and carefully treat its history, culture and traditions. Mayor noted that the visit of the parliamentary delegation of Uzbekistan to Aizuwakamatsu will become important event in its history and create foundation for developing new directions of cooperation between cities of Japan and Uzbekistan.

Chairperson of the Committee on cooperation with Russia and CIS of Japan Business Federation Motoyuki Oka stated that during April investment forum in Tokyo, Japanese business circles received information on social-economic development of Uzbekistan, investment potential and opportunities at Navoi free industrial-economic zone.

Oke underlined necessity to deepen financial-technical cooperation within Japan’s Official Development Assistance Programme, increase volume of trade-economic and investment interaction, which currently do not meet existing potential of two states.

Speaking about announcement of 2011 as the Year of Small Business and Private Entrepreneurship, Oka said that the Japanese companies to foster business with Uzbekistan.

Chairperson of the committee on ecology of the Advisors Chamber of Japan’s parliament Issei Kitagawa, noting achievements of Uzbekistan in ecologic development, said that economic developed of the country accompanied with problems in protecting environment and ecology.

Kitagawa said that he knows about wide-scale ecologic catastrophe in Aral Sea and said that salted dust of Aral Sea results in worsening of health of population in Aral Sea Basin.

He said that Aral Sea crisis is actual problem not only of Uzbekistan, but a problem of international community. The Japan government regularly renders assistance to solve this ecologic problem through official development assistance. He added that experience of Japan in ecology and protection of environment can be useful for Uzbekistan, which requires cooperation of two states in science-technical sphere and human exchange.

Kitagawa expressed readiness to cooperate with Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan and said that the sides could cooperate in transfer of technologies and know-how of Japanese companies and research centers to introduce preventive measures and liquidation of industrial pollution of environment and solving waste problems in Uzbekistan, as well as strengthening interaction to solve Aral Sea problem.

Kitagawa supported the Uzbek side’s position on necessity to adhere to norms of international law and adopt corresponding international measures in preventing accidents and emergency situations at Nurek and Toktagul hydro power stations, which are located at seismically active regions of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It was said that construction of gigantic dams in seismically active zones can provoke new earthquakes and bring to catastrophic consequences for countries, located in lower reaches of trans-boundary rivers.