On December 18, 2025, Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi held a meeting with President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who is in Japan on a visit to take part in the “Central Asia plus Japan” dialogue and summit, according to the website of the Prime Minister of Japan.

As emphasized, this is the first high-level meeting between Japan and the five Central Asian countries to be held in Tokyo. The meeting will last two days, starting on December 19, and will be chaired by Prime Minister Takaichi.

During the talks, the leaders of the two countries agreed to work jointly to further develop cooperation across a wide range of areas, including politics, the economy, and culture.

They also welcomed the launch of direct flights between the two countries next year and confirmed that negotiations would begin on the conclusion of an air services agreement.

In addition, Prime Minister Takaichi announced that Japan has decided to provide large-scale X-ray equipment to port customs authorities to ensure the smooth operation of the Caspian Sea Route, a transport corridor linking Central Asia and Europe.

Following the talks, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi signed a joint statement. Members of the official delegations of the two countries also signed 14 intergovernmental and interagency documents.