Uzbekistan, Japan Sign JICA Energy Efficiency Deals

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan and Japan Formalize Energy Efficiency Pacts, Deepen Economic Partnership

Uzbekistan and Japan have signed two new cooperation agreements targeting energy efficiency across the country's social infrastructure and industrial sectors, capping a high-level diplomatic meeting in Tashkent on June 10.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Jamshid Kuchkarov received a Japanese delegation led by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Hirata Kenji. The talks also included Sakai Mamoru, head of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) mission in Uzbekistan, Deputy Finance Minister Otabek Fazilkarimov, Deputy Health Minister Ilkhomjon Umrzakov, and other senior officials from both sides.

The meeting concluded with a note exchange ceremony formalizing two JICA-backed projects focused on deploying modern energy-saving technologies in public facilities and industrial enterprises through concessional financing — a structure that combines technical assistance with preferential lending terms.

Beyond energy, the two sides reviewed a wide cooperation agenda spanning multiple sectors. Discussions covered the advancement of the "One Village — One Product" rural development program, an initiative modeled on Japan's own OVOP concept, as well as joint projects in healthcare system development and vocational and skilled workforce training.

Agricultural cooperation also featured on the agenda, with both parties examining ways to improve the efficiency of ongoing joint projects and identify prospective new initiatives.

The meeting reflects a broader deepening of Uzbek-Japanese ties that has accelerated in recent years, with JICA serving as a primary vehicle for technical and financial cooperation. Japan has emerged as one of Uzbekistan's key development partners in Central Asia, particularly in areas where Japanese expertise in industrial modernization and public sector reform aligns with Tashkent's domestic reform priorities.

Both sides confirmed their intention to maintain systematic implementation of agreed commitments and continue expanding the bilateral relationship.