ASTANA – Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov met with Hiroshima Prefecture Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki on July 16 to discuss bilateral cooperation, focusing on trade and economic ties, as well as humanitarian initiatives.
Photo credit: primeminister.kz
Key topics included strengthening ties between Hiroshima Prefecture and the Abai Region, located in the east of Kazakhstan, particularly through the continuation of the Hiroshima–Semei initiative, and promoting knowledge exchange under the Mayors for Peace international movement. The officials also expressed their readiness to collaborate further as part of the upcoming Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
Inside Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Photo credit: AT
Yuzaki emphasized the shared commitment of Japan and Kazakhstan to nuclear non-proliferation, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.
“We highly appreciate Kazakhstan’s support in the international arena. One of the goals of our visit is to strengthen friendship. We in Hiroshima believe that we have an important mission – to work towards freeing the world from nuclear weapons. Kazakhstan is a member of the nuclear non-proliferation movement in Central Asia,” said Yuzaki.
Bektenov reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s willingness to deepen cooperation with Japan in areas such as medical and social support for radiation victims, as well as the development and implementation of technologies in the field of radiation medicine.
“We express our gratitude to the Government of Japan for its intention to provide a grant to combat the consequences of nuclear tests in Semei. We are confident that this initiative will have a sustainable long-term impact on improving the quality of medical care,” said Bektenov.
In 2024, trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Japan reached $1.8 billion, with over 60 Japanese companies currently operating in Kazakhstan. Over the past two decades, Japanese investments in the Kazakh economy have totaled approximately $8.3 billion, with major projects involving Toyota, Hitachi, and Marubeni, among other leading companies.
