Japan on Thursday pledged a total of 187.9 billion yen ($1.7 billion) in loans to Uzbekistan to help boost its power generation and exports of horticultural products.
The pledge was made as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev agreed to deepen the countries' strategic partnership during a meeting in Tokyo, The Mainichi said.
Most of the yen-loans will be used to boost the Central Asian country's thermal power generation capacity to ensure stable electricity supplies, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry. Japan will also assist horticultural producers and improve their access to financing.
Japan is seeking to strengthen ties with Uzbekistan through cooperation in areas such as infrastructure development.
"Japan highly values its relations with Uzbekistan, which play an important role in the stability and prosperity of Central Asia and the world," Abe said at the outset of the summit at his office.
Mirziyoyev said he will seek to create an open market and an appealing investment environment in Uzbekistan.
