The 7th meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Central Asia Plus Japan Dialogue took place in the Tajik capital on May 18.

According to the Tajik MFA information department, foreign ministers of Japan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan as well as deputy foreign minister of Turkmenistan participated in the meeting      

Three sessions reportedly took place within the framework of the meeting: 1) practical cooperation between member nations of the Central Asia plus Japan Dialogue in the field of tourism; 2) practical cooperation between member nations of the Central Asia plus Japan Dialogue in the fields of trade, investment and development; and 3) regional security and regional cooperation in Central Asia. 

The meeting reportedly ended with signing of a Joint Statement of the 7th meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Central Asia Plus Japan Dialogue. 

Meanwhile, Japanese media reports say Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani also participated in the talks. 

The meeting in Dushanbe came as China increases its influence in the region through its "Belt and Road" development initiative, according to The Japan Times.

The Central Asia plus Japan Dialogue is a political initiative between Japan and the Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, with the goal to create “a new framework for cooperation, thereby elevating relations between Japan and Central Asia to a new level.”  The dialogue, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, is also meant to serve as a forum to promote inter-regional cooperation.  Turkmenistan, maintaining its policy of neutrality, participates only as an observer.

The dialogue was formally declared on August 28, 2004 in Astana, Kazakhstan at a meeting of foreign ministers from the four participating Central Asian governments and Japan.  A joint statement was issued which outlined the parties’ views on four areas: fundamental principles and values, expansion of Japanese-Central Asian relations, intra-regional cooperation within Central Asia, and cooperation in the international arena.  The joint statement also outlined several areas of potential Japanese-Central Asian cooperation.