The Center for Economic Research and Reform (CEIR) has conducted an analysis of trade, economic and investment cooperation between Uzbekistan and Japan over the past 8 years.
Indicators of Uzbekistan's foreign trade with Japan
Over the period 2017-2024, Uzbekistan's trade turnover with Japan increased 2.3 times from $166.2 million to $388.6 million, exports increased by 15.1% from $14.5 million to $16.7 million, imports increased 2.5 times from $151.7 million to $371.9 million.
The annual figures of Uzbekistan's exports to Japan over the past 8 years have averaged about $17 million.
In 2024, Uzbekistan's trade with Japan increased by 64.1% from $236.8 million to $388.6 million. Uzbekistan's trade with Japan was represented by the following commodity items:
- exports, total – $16.7 million, including: chemical products – $5.7 million (34.1%), industrial goods – $2.0 million (11.8%), food products – $0.5 million (3.0%), and services – $8.4 million (50.4%).
- imports, total – $371.9 million, including: machinery and transport equipment – $337.1 million (90.7%), manufactured goods – $17.4 million (4.7%), various finished products – $7.2 million (1.9%), as well as services – $4.4 million (1.2%) and others.
In 10 months of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, Uzbekistan's trade turnover with Japan amounted to $326.8 million.
Investment cooperation
Japan is actively involved in investment projects in Uzbekistan aimed at modernizing energy, chemical industry and water supply systems. Projects have been implemented in Uzbekistan with the participation of such leading Japanese companies as Mitsubishi, Marubeni, Itochu, Sumitomo, etc.
For the period 2017-2024, the volume of foreign direct investment and loans from Japan to Uzbekistan, including through JICA, amounted to $184 million (in 2024 – $19.6 million).
Today, 121 companies with Japanese capital are successfully operating in Uzbekistan, implementing projects in various sectors of the economy, including 29 joint ventures and 92 enterprises with 100% Japanese capital.
Promising areas for the development of investment cooperation with Japan are joint projects in the field of "green" transformation, covering decarbonization, digitalization and personnel training in sectors that ensure the sustainable development of Uzbekistan.
Japan has great opportunities to support the development of human capital in Uzbekistan, which corresponds to the priorities and competencies of Japanese companies and can become one of the main directions for expanding bilateral cooperation.
The Public Relations Sector of the CEIR.
