TASHKENT (Kyodo) Japan pledged increased assistance for Central Asia ranging from antiterrorism measures to infrastructure development for goods distribution when foreign ministers from Tokyo and the region gathered Saturday in the Uzbek capital.
"The development of Central Asia in an open way is a common good for all of Eurasia," Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada said at the outset of the third "Central Asia plus Japan" dialogue meeting.
"The Japanese government, now led by the Democratic Party of Japan following the change of power, intends to continue proactively supporting" the region, he said.