Japan backs Kazakhstan’s green initiatives
Kazakhstan and Japan are strengthening cooperation in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development.
On January 17, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Japan, Yerlan Baudarbek-Kozhatayev, met with Japan’s Minister of the Environment, Hirotaka Ishihara, to discuss bilateral cooperation in the field of sustainable development and introduction of green technologies.
During the meeting, the Ambassador briefed the Japanese side on the results of Kazakhstan’s recent national referendum on adopting a new Constitution and outlined the country’s priorities in climate action and water security.
Kazakhstan presented its proposal to establish an international water organization under the UN, highlighting strategies for rational water use, conservation, and adaptation to climate change.
The Ambassador also presented the program for the upcoming Regional Ecological Summit, scheduled for April 22-24, 2026 in Astana, called to serve as a key Central Asian platform for attracting green investment, discussing climate change and sustainable development issues with business entities and expert community.
Minister Ishihara reaffirmed Japan’s proactive stance on addressing global environmental challenges and confirmed Tokyo’s participation in the summit at the political level. He emphasized the importance of the Memorandum of Cooperation signed during President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s first official visit to Japan, and expressed interest in advancing projects under the Joint Credit Mechanism (JCM) to promote eco-friendly technologies and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Earlier, Qazinform reported that Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev said on Wednesday that Kazakhstan and the European Union are set to finalize visa talks with EU within a year.
