On August 7 this year, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan S. Umurzakov held a video conference with Mayor of Nagoya (Japan) T. Kawamura, where they exchanged their views on the progress in agreements reached during the visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Nagoya in December last year.

The negotiations considered a wide range of issues on further expansion of economic cooperation, development of tourism, exchange of specialists, intensification of air traffic, as well as cooperation in the fight against coronavirus infection.

During the dialogue, T. Kawamura informed that the visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Nagoya was an unprecedented event in the history of the city and expressed his firm commitment to the implementation of the agreements reached.

The Uzbek side expressed gratitude for the efforts of the administration of Nagoya to popularize Uzbekistan, including Tashkent city among the Japanese population, in particular for a cycle of radio and television broadcasts, articles about Uzbekistan, Tashkent and Uzbek-Japanese relations in local newspapers, magazines and the official website of the Nagoya Mayor's Office.

Separately, the focus touched upon the development of twin-city relations between Tashkent and Nagoya, which have established permanent friendly ties. Here, the parties discussed possible opening of a representative office of the Tashkent Khokimiyat in Nagoya, which will be an additional tool to establish systematic cooperation focused on economic relations, increase in the tourist flow between the two cities by increasing direct flights, as well as exchange of experience, technologies and highly qualified specialists.

They also agreed to closely cooperate with Nagoya Mayor's Office to prepare the high-level joint events under cultural and tourism cooperation, as well as to organize a separate business forum designed to establish direct ties between Uzbek and Japanese entrepreneurs.

For reference: Tashkent Khokimiyat and Nagoya Mayor's Office are preparing to Days of Nagoya in Tashkent and Days of Tashkent in Nagoya expected for autumn this year, which will include a youth festival, a forum of young entrepreneurs, exhibitions of engraving and painting masters, Road Show in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, as well as other joint activities promoting the tourism potential and traditional culture of the two countries.

The parties separately considered possible implementation of Nagoya's experience in countering the coronavirus pandemic. Currently, the city has a low level of infection spread due to a developed and sustainable health care system and the availability of highly qualified medical personnel. The parties agreed to develop cooperation in training personnel for health care system between the Tashkent Medical Academy and Nagoya University and outlined further practical actions thereto.

They also considered a number of specific issues related to joint projects. In particular, they negotiated on the progress in creating a high-tech IT Park in Tashkent and priority measures to accelerate the implementation of this initiative.

Here, they noted the need to use full advantages of existing potential of investment cooperation. Thereafter, the parties exchanged proposals to implement projects previously agreed. The parties welcomed the progress in the project for the production of commercial passenger elevators by Mitsubishi Electric in Uzbekistan.

The video-conference resulted in agreement to organize mutual visits of business delegations involving Japanese and Uzbek entrepreneurs after stabilization of epidemiological situation