TOKYO, October 5. /Dunyo IA/. The renowned Japanese electronic publication and monthly magazine "Nikkei Asia" has reported that the Japanese corporation "Sojitz" Corporation is set to invest in the construction project of a new airport in Uzbekistan, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

The article highlights that "Sojitz" Corporation will commence construction of a new international airport in the capital city of Uzbekistan this year. This project forms part of the company’s broader infrastructure investments amounting to USD 1 billion.

The airport in Tashkent will be constructed on the basis of a public-private partnership with the Saudi company "Vision Invest". "Sojitz" plans to invest several tens of billions of Japanese yen, equivalent to hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars, into the project. To date, the company has participated in international airport projects in the Japanese prefectures of Kumamoto and Okinawa, as well as on the islands of Palau.

Uzbekistan approved the new airport project in August 2025. Scheduled to open in 2028, the airport will have the capacity to serve 20 million passengers annually and handle over 40 takeoffs and landings per hour. This will establish it as the largest airport in Central Asia. The project is expected to increase the number of passengers traveling to Tashkent to 15 million by 2030.

"Sojitz" Corporation also plans to participate in additional infrastructure projects in Uzbekistan. The portfolio includes the construction of a major 800-bed hospital in Samarkand, a 1-gigawatt wind power plant, and a 1.6-gigawatt thermal power station in partnership with the Turkish company "Ronesans International".

Uzbekistan is the largest country in the region, with a population of 37 million and an annual GDP growth rate exceeding 6%. The country offers tax incentives and other benefits to foreign investors, with a corporate tax rate of 15%, which is lower than that of Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. As of October 2024, 54 Japanese companies were operating in Uzbekistan—more than double the number recorded in 2019. In June, "Sojitz" opened its first official office and staffed team in Tashkent, marking the company’s first presence since the establishment of "Nissho Iwai" nearly two decades ago.

Other Japanese companies are also actively engaged in Uzbekistan’s infrastructure sector. For instance, "Toyota Tsusho" Corporation, through its subsidiary "Eurus Energy Holdings" is currently conducting site assessments for a 500-megawatt wind power project. Additionally, Toyota Tsusho has signed a contract with "NEC" Corporation to develop data centers in the country. Meanwhile, "Marubeni" Corporation is constructing wastewater treatment facilities in partnership with a company from the United Arab Emirates.

"Itochu" Corporation holds a minority stake in a joint uranium mining project alongside the French company "Orano" and the state-owned enterprise "Navoiuran". Additionally, "Marubeni" Corporation is actively involved in uranium trading.

The article also quotes Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investments, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan, stating: "Uzbekistan is currently negotiating with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan to expand cooperation in the extraction of minerals, particularly those of strategic importance".