Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon agreed Friday to strengthen cooperation on border control to stem the flow of narcotics and terrorists into the central Asian country from neighboring Afghanistan.
During talks in Abe’s office in Tokyo, the Japanese leader promised to offer Tajikistan equipment for beefing up the country’s border control and help train officials working along the border, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
Tajikistan is considered a major route used in smuggling illegal drugs to Russia and Europe from Afghanistan, which shares with the Central Asian country a border of around 1,400 kilometers, according to the ministry.
Abe also agreed to continue a program assisting Tajikistani students in becoming government officials and, as part of efforts to build closer economic ties, to aim for an early conclusion of an investment treaty.
In addition, in the run-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, Abe and Rahmon agreed to promote exchanges in the field of sports, with the city of Aomori expected to host an Tajikistani athletes’ training camp.
The two leaders last met in 2015, when Abe made a Central Asian tour.
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