Today, in Tokyo within the framework of official visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Japan the meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission was held as the Kazakhstan-Japanese business forum, in which 350companies from both parties took part, while more than two hundred participants represented the Japanese business. Meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission was organized by the Ministry for Investment and Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, National Agency for Export and Investment “Kaznex Invest” JSC, and the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The main speakers at the event were Co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Commission, Vice-Minister for investment and Development of Kazakhstan Mr, Erlan Khairov and Vice-Minister for international Affairs of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, Mr. Hirofumi Katase. In his speech, Erlan Khairov noted that “Japan is one of the largest foreign investors in Kazakhstan. Currently, about 25 joint investment projects are under implementation between our countries for the amount of more than USD 4 billion in such sectors as Energy, Logistics, Engineering, Pharmaceuticals, and Information and Communication Technologies. Today, Kazakhstan proposes new long-term projects that will certainly be of interest to the business community in Japan.”

As the result of the business forum, 15 trade agreements were signed for a total amount of USD 1.2 billion in such areas as Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Innovative Technologies, Public-Private Partnerships, Energy, Finance, Manufacturing of Construction Materials, Tourism and Trade. The arrangements were confirmed regarding financing by the Japanese party of strategically important investment projects in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan. These projects include the followings: the construction of a plant for the production of terephtalate acid and polyethylenterephtalate in Atyrau; the construction and operation of wind power station in Mangystau Province; the joint use of neutron irradiation and radioisotope production.  

At the business forum, the Kazakhstan delegation presented to Japanese partners the State Program of Industrial-Innovative Development of Kazakhstan for 2015-2019, as well as the package of incentives for investors in priority sectors of the national economy. Besides, they have presented information about the possibilities of business projects implementation in Kazakhstan, preferences for investors provided by the Government, and industrial capabilities of various areas of the economy.  

A separate session of the business forum was dedicated to discussion of the initiatives in the field of investment cooperation between the two countries for the long term period. The participants noted the necessity of expansion of the Kazakh-Japanese bilateral relations to achieve the higher level. In addition to the above, it was suggested to extend the cooperation to the fields of Water Resources, Environment Protection, Medicine, Agriculture, Fisheries, Transport And Urban Infrastructure.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

For the period from 2005 to the 1st half of 2016, gross inflow of direct investment from Japan to Kazakhstan amounted to USD 5.1 billion. As of October 1, 2016, in Kazakhstan were registered 79 legal persons, branches and representative offices with Japanese participation, 53of which are operative one. In 2015, the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to USD 1.4 billion 

Source:invest.gov.kz