Uzbek President Islam Karimov said: “We are satisfied with intensive development of our cooperation with Japan, which was has been started from the first days of independence of Uzbekistan.”

Naoto Kan, in his turn, expressed gratitude for the Uzbek leader for warm reception and underlined effectiveness of implemented anti-crisis programme, wide-scale modernization of all spheres of life in Uzbekistan.

The sides underlined at the meeting that current international ADB forum, which takes place in Tashkent, provides good opportunity for discussion of problems of regional and international importance, as well as further developing of cooperation in investment sphere.

Currently, Japan is one of the reliable investment partners of Uzbekistan. Japan invested over US$2 billion into economy of Uzbekistan, UzA reported.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) allocated US$300 million to Uzbekistan. The sides inked a loan agreement on 1 May within the framework of the 43rd Annual Meeting of the ADB Governors in Tashkent.