Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday pledged a total of ¥13 billion in aid to Kyrgyzstan for repairing a major road and procuring equipment at Manas International Airport serving the nation's capital, Bishkek.
In a meeting in the capital, Abe and Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev affirmed Japan's continued assistance in firmly establishing parliamentary democracy in the Central Asian country, according to a senior Japanese official.
Japan will assist Kyrgyzstan in holding a fair and smooth presidential election in 2017, Abe was quoted by the official as saying.
Abe is the first Japanese prime minister to visit Kyrgyzstan. He is on a weeklong trip to Mongolia and five Central Asian states through Wednesday.
In a joint statement issued after their meeting, Atambayev welcomed Japan's new initiative in developing human resources in Kyrgyzstan for advanced industries using Japanese-style engineering education.
Japan vowed to extend assistance to Kyrgyzstan in the agriculture field.
The leaders agreed on the importance of beefing up cooperation in anti-drug and border control measures as part of efforts to ensure the stabilization of Afghanistan.
They agreed to push for reform of the U.N. Security Council. Atambayev expressed support for Japan's bid to become a permanent member of the Security Council.
On Tuesday, Abe is scheduled to hold a meeting with Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev in Astana. The prime minister plans to return home Wednesday.