Plans to increase the number of tourists from Japan to Uzbekistan

Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Tourism and Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Uzbekistan Aziz Abdukhakimov met with President of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Akihiro Tanaka in Tokyo. Uzbek Ambassador to Japan Muhsinhodja Abdurakhmanov also attended the meeting.

They discussed issues of further expansion of bilateral cooperation in tourism and cultural heritage. Akihiro Tanaka expressed interest in strengthening bilateral cooperation in tourism, cultural heritage and education in the context of wide-ranging reforms implemented in Uzbekistan in recent years.

The sides agreed to preserve cultural heritage of Buyuk Ipak Yo'li and create its digital archive, digitise museums' exhibits and raise qualification of working staff, restore and conserve historical sites, implement infrastructure projects in remote mountainous and desert regions, as well as attract Japanese specialists to Uzbekistan.

In addition, during the meeting, a special attention has been paid to increasing the number of tourists traveling from Japan to Uzbekistan by implementing a charter program.

At the end of the meeting, the sides agreed to jointly develop projects related to the restoration and preservation of Uzbekistan's historical monuments with UNESCO support, to improve tourism infrastructure in remote areas and to create a memorial complex in memory of the late Kyuzo Kato, who devoted much of his life to studying the archaeological and cultural heritage in the Surkhandarya region.