Kazakhstan - important and biggest partner of Japan in Central Asia - Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara

answered the questions of Kazinform correspondent.

- Please explain the Japanese Foreign Minister's general outlook regarding the current state of Japan-Kazakhstan relations and its future prospects.

- While Japan-Kazakhstan relations have been developing steadily across both the political and economic fronts ever since the establishment of our diplomatic relations in 1992, in the area of economy our relations have been becoming increasingly close, particularly in recent years. In promoting Japan's economic diplomacy, I have set forth the four pillars of a free trade system, the securing of long-term and stable supply of resources, energy and food, the international promotion of infrastructure systems, and the promotion of Japan as a tourism-oriented nation. I consider Japan's relations with Kazakhstan to be important in each of these areas.

In addition, high level political dialogues and the movement of people between our two countries are both becoming increasingly active. Last year in particular, we held three meetings between our Foreign Ministers in a single year, including the visit to Japan of Secretary of State-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kanat Saudabayev, in March, followed by the visit in August of then-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Katsuya Okada, to Kazakhstan and the meeting that Secretary of State-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Saudabayev, and I as the Minister for Foreign Affairs held in September on the occasion of the United Nations General Assembly. I consider this evidence that the relations between our two countries are now becoming closer than ever before.

At these Foreign Ministers' Meetings, our two countries have concurred on the recognition that it is necessary to raise economic relations between Japan and Kazakhstan to a higher level. I believe that there is great potential for the development of relations between our two countries. Through the development of legal infrastructures, we are aiming to cultivate an environment in which it is easy for Japanese companies to operate, in order to transform this potential into something tangible. In addition to the Convention for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income that entered into force two years ago and the Agreement for cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy signed last year in March, we are currently advancing negotiations on an Agreement for the liberalization, promotion and protection of investment, aiming at the early conclusion of negotiations. I firmly believe that such efforts will lead to the development of a relationship of mutually beneficial cooperation spanning an even broader range of fields.

- We understand that Japan has particular interest in promoting cooperation with Kazakhstan in the field of energy, in particular, in the spheres of oil, gas, and uranium. Is Japan also able to propose Astana cooperation in other fields, including high-tech industries?

- There is indeed room for dramatically expanding mutually beneficial and mutually complementary cooperation between Kazakhstan, which enjoys abundant energy and mineral resources, and Japan, which has sophisticated technological capabilities. Besides a Japanese corporation already holding interests in the development of the Kashagan oil field, in the field of nuclear power a concrete cooperative relationship is moving forward between Kazakhstan, which has an abundance of uranium resources, and Japan, which has sophisticated nuclear technologies. In recent years, the areas of cooperation between our two countries have been expanding still further. In addition to advancing cooperation in the area of developing mineral resources including rare earths, we are now pioneering new potential in a number of new fields, including the fields of energy conservation and new energies and the field of space, among others.

In light of this, I consider there to be a substantial amount of room for Kazakhstan, which has set the advancement of its domestic industry as a priority matter within its national development strategy, and Japan to expand their mutually beneficial cooperation in a variety of fields, including fields other than raw materials.

In order to consider in concrete terms what kinds of cooperation Japan is able to undertake, I intend to continue to work to grasp Kazakhstan's needs by making use of various forums for dialogue while fostering still closer bilateral relations through more concrete mutually beneficial cooperative relations.

- The «Central Asia plus Japan» policy underway through the initiative of the Government of Japan has been reported in the media. Please explain the essence and the contents of this scheme. How is this scheme transitioning into execution at present?

- The «Central Asia plus Japan» Dialogue was established in 2004 as a framework for dialogue and cooperation between Japan and the countries of Central Asia, including Kazakhstan, with the first Foreign Ministers' Meeting convened in Astana in August that same year. Japan considers it important that, for the stability and prosperity of Central Asia, the countries of Central Asia deal jointly with issues held in common and that they advance intra-regional cooperation towards the creation of a common market. One of the main goals of the «Central Asia plus Japan» Dialogue lies in promoting efforts by the countries of Central Asia towards intraregional cooperation, with Japan serving as a catalyst.

At the second Foreign Ministers' Meeting, held in Tokyo in June 2006, the Action Plan was adopted, indicating directions for concrete cooperation under each of the five pillars of political dialogue, intra-regional cooperation, business promotion, intellectual dialogue, and cultural and human exchanges. Particularly in the area of intraregional cooperation, this Action Plan has been advancing cooperation in such areas as measures against terrorism and drugs, poverty alleviation, health and medicine, environmental protection, disaster prevention, energy/water, trade and investment, and transportation. Various assistance projects have been created and put into implementation in accordance with these principles.

The third Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held in Tashkent in August last year. Taking up each country's efforts for regional peace and stability, and cooperation among them, the foreign ministers of each country participated actively in an exchange of views regarding the issue of terrorism and narcotics, the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia, the situation in the Kyrgyz Republic, and the situation in Afghanistan, among other topics. In addition, with regard to each country's effort for regional economic development and prosperity, and cooperation among them, we held meaningful discussions on the development of commodity distribution and transportation infrastructures, various efforts to promote trade and investment between Japan and Central Asia, regional environmental issues including that of the Aral Sea and climate change, and the rational use of water resources.

Under this framework for dialogue we will have a Senior Officials' Meeting in 2011 and a Foreign Ministers' Meeting in 2012, both of which will be held in Japan. I intend to advance cooperation under the «Central Asia plus Japan» dialogue still further in the future, and Japan will continue to work to make it possible to contribute to confidence building among the countries of Central Asia as well as to the stability and prosperity of the region.

- How would you evaluate the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Summit held in Astana in early December 2010?

- The OSCE Summit brought together heads of state and government-level participants from participating States and Partner countries after an 11-year hiatus, with discussions held on a variety of international security issues, including the security situation in Europe. In light of this I consider it to have been a very meaningful summit. From Japan, which is an OSCE Partner country, Mr. Yutaka Banno, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, attended and participated in the discussions very actively.

From the standpoint of a Partner country, Japan also highly evaluates that the strengthening of engagement between OSCE participating States and «Partners for Co-operation» was incorporated into the Astana Commemorative Declaration adopted at the summit, in recognition of security in Asia being inextricably linked to security in the OSCE area, and also that the Declaration clearly stated that it is necessary to strengthen cooperation to bring stability to Afghanistan, an issue in which Japan has great interest.

- Kazakhstan is currently serving as the chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and a summit is scheduled to be held in Astana in 2011. How do you evaluate the activities of the SCO? Also, is Japan considering strengthening its relations with SCO?

- Japan hopes that the SCO maintains transparency while fostering international cooperation and contributing to regional stability and development. Japan looks forward to Kazakhstan taking various initiatives as the 2011 chair country.

At present, Japan is not considering being institutionally engaged in the SCO as an observer or otherwise. However, in the case of certain agenda items, it may be possible for Japan to examine on a case-by-base basis the potential for dialogue and cooperation, as was the case when a representative from Japan attended the SCO's Special Conference on Afghanistan in 2009. In addition, I believe it is beneficial to conduct ad hoc consultations between Japan and the SCO Secretariat as well as individual SCO Member States.

- Thank you for the interview!