Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 27 August 2025, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Uzbekistan, Mr. Takashi Hatori, and Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation of Uzbekistan, Mr. Kongratbay Sharipov, signed Exchange Notes for the project “Provision of Scholarships for Capacity Development.”

The total funding for the project amounts to 422 million yen (approximately US$2.8 million) and is provided under the Japanese Government’s grant aid program.

On the same day, Mr. Sharipov and the Head of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Uzbekistan, Mr. Yoshifumi Bito, signed the Grant Agreement for the project.

Under the project, in 2026 up to 18 young civil servants from Uzbekistan will have the opportunity to pursue a master’s degree (2 years), and one candidate will be able to enroll in a doctoral program (3 years) at universities in Japan.

The project aims to enhance the professional competencies of personnel responsible for the country’s strategic development and their participation in shaping effective public policy. Additionally, participants are expected to contribute to deepening mutual understanding and strengthening friendly relations between Japan and Uzbekistan.

This initiative follows the framework outlined at the 9th meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Central Asia + Japan Dialogue held in December 2022 in Tokyo. At the meeting, Japan emphasized the importance of a new cooperation model focused on “Investment in People” and “Quality Growth” in Central Asia. The scholarship project in Uzbekistan embodies both of these priorities.

The Government of Japan intends to continue developing bilateral relations through human resource development and fostering mutual understanding, making a significant contribution to the sustainable socio-economic development of Uzbekistan.