On December 18, 2019, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with Aichi prefecture Governor Hideaki Omura, in Japan.

Fruitful contacts between Uzbekistan and Aichi prefecture in education and culture were noted with deep satisfaction.

The opportunity for expanding mutually beneficial cooperation and promoting specific projects in innovation, industry, agriculture, including the creation of joint agricultural clusters, tourism, and academic exchanges was emphasized.

Tashkent region has been identified as a partner from the Uzbek side for the prefecture.

An agreement was reached on organization of mutual visits and elaboration of the opening of air links with Aichi.

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The business program of the visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Nagoya continued with a meeting with the Mayor of the city, Takashi Kawamura.

Practical implementation of the agreements reached following the visit of the delegation of the City Hall to Uzbekistan was discussed.

The discussed issues include creating Nagoya High-Tech Park in Tashkent, innovative projects in economics, industry, transport, education, tourism and other priority areas.

An agreement was reached on the preparation of a roadmap for joint activities for 2020.

Following the meeting, a Partnership Agreement was signed between Tashkent Khokimiyat and Nagoya City Hall.

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The next important destination of the official visit program of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Japan became Nagoya University.

Nagoya University is one of the most prestigious scientific and educational institutions in the world, one of the top ten on the continent.

Many prominent scientists studied and work here. Six of them are Nobel Prize winners in physics and chemistry.

Today, the University has more than 16 thousand students, of which 2.6 thousand are from foreign countries, including over 30 from Uzbekistan.

In total, over 400 students and researchers from Uzbekistan were trained at this university.

Since 2010, a representative office of Nagoya University has been operating in Tashkent, which today serves as a reliable bridge between the higher education institutions of the two countries. With the direct participation of the university, Uzbekistan – Japan Academic Forum and Conference of Rectors are regularly held in the two countries, which play an important role in the life of scientific community.

The President of Uzbekistan got acquainted with the activities of the university, held a meeting with its President, Seiichi Matsuo, with participation of a number of Nobel Prize winners and other scientists.

“We highly appreciate your merits in development of scientific cooperation between our countries. Especially your last year’s visit to Uzbekistan, together with the Nobel Prize winner, Professor Ryoji Noyori, became an important event in the scientific life of our country”, said Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Taking into account the worthy contribution of Seiichi Matsuo to the development of science, he was recently elected the Honorary Rector of the University by the Scientific Council of Tashkent State Technical University. Professor Noyori was awarded the title of Honorary Academician of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan.

The President of Uzbekistan congratulated Seiichi Matsuo and Ryoji Noyori with these titles.

At the meeting, an agreement was reached on enhancing exchanges and promoting joint scientific research in priority areas of cooperation.

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For the contribution of the Head of Uzbekistan to development of education, as well as full support of science and academic exchanges, in recognition of new stage of reforms in Uzbekistan on liberalizing the economy and achieving the sustainable development, the Scientific Council of Nagoya University decided to confer a high degree of Honorary Doctorate of the University to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The awarding ceremony of this high scientific degree was held at the University with participation of the leadership, Nobel Prize laureates, scientists, professors and teachers, students of the University.

President of Nagoya University Seiichi Matsuo addressed the event. He noted that the Head of Uzbekistan focuses on development of relations between the two countries in science and this decision is a reflection of desire of the parties to further expand long-term and promising cooperation in education.

Addressing the ceremony, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted that in addition to similar national and moral values, people of Uzbekistan and Japan share such a noble quality as a constant thirst for science and knowledge, achieving perfection. He noted that in the modern world, human capital, intellectual potential, innovative ideas, high technologies form the fundamental basis of accelerated and sustainable development.

“I take this title as primarily an expression of respect for people of Uzbekistan and express my deep gratitude to the leadership and scientific staff of Nagoya University”, said the President of Uzbekistan.

The Head of the state spoke about large-scale reforms in education and science of Uzbekistan.

Noting the great work implemented in Uzbekistan – Japan cooperation, the President also pointed to the presence of untapped opportunities and forwarded a number of proposals. In order to further expand cooperation, he proposed the establishment of Uzbekistan – Japan Fund for Scientific and Academic Exchanges and Technology Transfer.

This Fund will serve the implementation of joint projects to finance bilateral research, joint research of young scientists, exchange of students and professors of the two countries.

As a sign of friendship between Uzbekistan and Japan, the President of Uzbekistan handed over a number of books and albums to Nagoya University library published in Uzbekistan in Japanese and Uzbek languages.

A brief conversation took place with students from Uzbekistan.

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After visiting Nagoya University, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met and welcomed our compatriots who are studying and engaged in science in Nagoya.

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At Haneda International Airport, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan was met by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Minister in charge of Education Rebuilding of Japan, Hagiuda Koichi, the Special Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan for Central Asia, Hideki Uyama and other officials.

Today, meetings in Tokyo will be held with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Taro Aso, representatives of the Japanese Parliamentary League of Friendship with Uzbekistan, as well as representatives of leading Japanese companies and banks.

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On December 18, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Japan, Taro Aso, at Akasaka residence, in Tokyo.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted with deep satisfaction the consistent strengthening of Uzbekistan – Japan friendship and strategic partnership, as well as expanding trade-economic cooperation.

The fruitful results of the business forum with participation of an unprecedented number of companies and banks of the two countries on the eve of the visit at the highest level were highly appreciated.

Prospects for increasing investment, technological, financial, technical cooperation, as well as promoting joint projects in the energy, agricultural and other sectors were discussed at the meeting.

The importance of bilateral agreements in the field of taxation and customs signed during the visit was noted, which will create favorable conditions for development of long-term business contacts.

Views were exchanged on the current issues of reforming economic sectors and the financial system.

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President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with representatives of the Japanese Parliamentary League of Friendship with Uzbekistan.

The meeting was attended by a number of members of the League led by its Chairman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Japan, Taro Aso.

It should be noted that inter-parliamentary relations form a solid basis for Uzbekistan – Japan multifaceted cooperation.

Relations between the parliamentarians of the two countries were established in 1993. The Parliamentary League of Friendship with Uzbekistan was formed in Japan.

It consists of prominent political figures, authoritative deputies and diplomats, and most importantly – real and reliable friends of Uzbekistan.

Two joint meetings of the Inter-Parliamentary Forum were held.

Current issues of expanding practical cooperation between the two countries, strengthening friendship between the peoples of Uzbekistan and Japan were discussed at the meeting.

An agreement was reached on holding the third meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Forum in Tashkent.

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President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a meeting with representatives of Japanese business circles, in Tokyo.

It was attended by heads of leading corporations, companies, financial institutions such as JETRO, JICA, JABIC, NEDO, JOGMEC, Mitsubishi, Itochu, Sumitomo, Marubeni, Isuzu.

Information was provided on the results of Japan – Uzbekistan business forum held on December 16, in Tokyo.

President of Uzbekistan urged companies and financial institutions of Japan to actively participate in the implementation of investment projects in Uzbekistan.

“Japan is our strategic partner. Together we did a great job on modernizing the sectors of the economy and infrastructure in Uzbekistan. Our visit aims at opening a new page in the history of bilateral relations. There are still many untapped opportunities, new projects in trade, energy, the chemical industry, transport, tourism, fruit and vegetable processing and services”, said Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Great opportunities have been created in the country for foreign investors. Necessary normative-legal acts have been adopted to stimulate and protect their activities. Various obstacles to business development have been eliminated, export-import operation procedures have been simplified, and restrictions on repatriation of profits of foreign investors have been lifted. Measures are being taken to strengthen and ensure the independence of the judiciary.

As a result of transformations to improve the business environment in the Doing Business 2020 ranking of the World Bank, Uzbekistan took 69th place, having risen by 100 positions in recent years, and ranked among the top 20 reforming states. For the first time, the country rose to the eighth place in the world in the convenience of opening new enterprises.

The President noted that fundamental economic reforms are underway in Uzbekistan, which have become irreversible.

Japanese entrepreneurs praised the reforms and transformations being carried out in Uzbekistan, and emphasized that liberalization of the currency and tax systems, simplification of visa procedures created additional opportunities for doing successful business in Uzbekistan. They expressed confidence that the official visit of the President of Uzbekistan will give new content to mutually beneficial ties between the business circles of the two countries and will become an impetus for more active participation of Japanese business, including small and medium, in the implementation of investment projects in the country.

Issues of further development of partnership between companies and financial organizations of the two countries, prospects for implementing various programs and projects, expanding the supply of products and services were discussed at the meeting.