NAGOYA, October 19. /Dunyo IA/.  Hiroyuki Ito, Honorary Consul of Uzbekistan in the city of Nagoya, Japan, commented in an interview with Dunyo IA on the outcomes of the working visit paid by the President of Uzbekistan to Azerbaijan on October 14–15^th:

- Peace and trust are essential conditions for sustainable development, stronger international cooperation and improved well-being of peoples.

Uzbekistan’s consistent policy of strengthening good-neighbourly relations in Central Asia is helping expand trade and economic ties, develop transport corridors and implement joint investment projects.

Enhanced regional cooperation creates new opportunities not only for the countries of Central Asia, but also for their international partners, including Japan.

It is important to note that Japan’s cooperation with the countries of Central Asia already rests on a solid foundation. Launched in 2004, the “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue gained fresh momentum with the first summit of leaders held in Tokyo in December 2025. Today, this cooperation is becoming increasingly practical in nature, encompassing investment, industry, infrastructure, energy and the training of qualified specialists.

In this context, the initiatives put forward by the President of Uzbekistan on the responsible use of artificial intelligence and strengthening climate resilience are also of considerable interest. Japan has significant technological and industrial capabilities that could be harnessed to implement such projects. I am convinced that expanding cooperation in these areas would serve the long-term interests of both countries.

As the Honorary Consul of Uzbekistan in Nagoya, I would particularly like to emphasise the importance of direct ties between the business communities, educational institutions and civil society representatives of our two countries. It is precisely these contacts that help translate political agreements into tangible economic projects, strengthen mutual understanding and lay a solid foundation for a long-term partnership.

I am confident that the initiatives put forward by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) summit will contribute to further cooperation across Asia, while opening up additional prospects for deepening Uzbek-Japanese relations and strengthening connectivity between Central and East Asia.