TOKYO, September 24. /Dunyo IA/.  Embassy of Uzbekistan in Japan hosted an official reception on the occasion of the 35^th Anniversary of the country's Independence, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

Event brought together more than 400 guests, including representatives of the Japanese Parliament and Government, business and political circles, expert and scientific organizations, culture, tourism and the diplomatic corps, as well as executives of companies cooperating with Uzbekistan.

Reception was attended by the State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Ayano Kunimitsu, the State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Kenji Yamada, parliamentarians and other public figures.

Ceremony commenced with the live performance of the national anthems of Uzbekistan and Japan by the renowned Japanese opera singer Takako Hiraoka.

Director of the Migration Agency of Uzbekistan and former Ambassador of the country to Japan, Mukhsinkhuzha Abdurakhmonov, delivered welcoming remarks, noting that the country's foreign policy is consistently implemented on the principles of openness, pragmatism, peacefulness, good-neighbourliness and mutual interest.

Special emphasis was placed on the development of relations between Uzbekistan and Japan, which have reached the level of a sustained strategic partnership. Among the areas of interaction, sports diplomacy was highlighted – nearly 650 athletes from Uzbekistan are participating in the XX Asian Games and V Para Asian Games in Aichi Prefecture.

On behalf of the Government of Japan, Ayano Kunimitsu congratulated the people of Uzbekistan on Independence Day and emphasized the dynamic development of the strategic partnership between the two countries in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres.

She also noted the successful holding of the Uzbekistan–Japan summit and the first summit of the “Central Asia + Japan” dialogue within the framework of the visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Tokyo in December 2025.

During the reception, the Order of “Dustlik” (Friendship) was solemnly presented to the Chairman and CEO of “Sojitz Corporation”, Masayoshi Fujimoto.

He stated that he accepts this high award as a great responsibility and reaffirmed the corporation's readiness to continue serving as a reliable, long-term partner of Uzbekistan.

Another symbol of humanitarian cooperation was the presentation of around 160 books for school children in Uzbekistan by the President of the Toshiba International Foundation, Hiroki Yamazaki. The collection includes publications on the history of Japan's development, its economy, and culture, as well as textbooks for learning the Japanese language.

Cultural program featured performances by renowned Uzbek artists Aziz Rajabiy, Shukrullo Isroilov, Ulugbek Kadyrov and the “Uzbegim” dance ensemble.

Within the framework of the reception, authentic Uzbek national products specially delivered from Uzbekistan were presented. An exhibition dedicated to the centuries-old history, cultural heritage, and tourism potential of the country was organized for the guests, showcasing samples of applied arts, traditional ceramics, national costumes, books and miniatures.

Particular interest was generated by the clothing collection of Uzbek designer Zukhra Khudaykulova, which harmoniously combined modern design with elements of the national style.