Newsletter No. 1424
News-Analysis
July 31, 2009

 

The following newsletter has been contributed by Christopher Len (Shingetsu Member No. 82), who is the Coordinator of our Central Asia Contact Group. Len is based at the Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP), Stockholm, Sweden.

BUSINESS RELATIONS WITH KYRGYZSTAN FALLING SHORT OF POTENTIAL

A Kyrgyz-Japanese business forum took place in Bishkek on February 25th. The aim of the forum was to help businessmen from Japan and Kyrgyzstan network with one another. The organizers were the Japanese Association on Commerce with Russia and New Independent States and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Kyrgyzstan.

The Japanese side was represented by Sumitomo, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Yanmar, and other companies. Kyrgyzstan was represented by JSC Electrical stations, Kara-Balta mining plant, Bishkek machinery plant. Altogether, about forty Japanese businessmen from twenty Japanese firms and fifty Kyrgyz companies and associations participated.

The general sentiment among those present was that bilateral trading relations have a lot more room for improvement. The Kyrgyz Economy Development and Trade Deputy Minister Sanjar Mukanbetov said that existing trade potential between Kyrgyzstan and Japan was realized only to some extent. Noriaki Kojima, chief of the Department for Russia and CIS at the trade policy bureau of METI said that “economic relations between Japan and Kyrgyzstan, unlike the humanities sphere, leave much to be desired.” Toshikazu Endo, director-general of the Economic Research Institute (ROTOBO) was also quoted as saying, “relations between Kyrgyzstan and Japan have failed to develop as a going concern.” The following day (February 26), the Japanese delegation surveyed Kyrgyzstan's economic zone and visited several enterprises and factories.

NEWS BRIEFS

New Kyrgyz Ambassador to Tokyo: A new Kyrgyz ambassador to Tokyo was accredited on November 17, 2008. The man’s name is Marat Dzhamanbaev.

Japan Scholarships for Kyrgyz Nationals: It was reported on June 18th that Japan will be contributing about US$2.6 million to Kyrgyzstan for the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship. In May 2008, a smaller donation of about US$$390,000 was granted to the same project.

Reconstruction of Bridges in Chui Oblast: It was reported on February 21st that the Japanese government is providing about US$7 million in aid for the Project for Reconstruction of Bridges in Chui Oblast. Through this aid, a total of three bridges will be rebuilt.

Emergency Assistance for Earthquake Disaster: MOFA announced on October 7, 2008, that the Government of Japan would provide emergency relief goods (electronic generators, etc.) equivalent to about US$110,000 to the government of the Kyrgyz Republic to alleviate damage sustained from an earthquake.