Uzbekistan and Japan strengthen cultural cooperation through the Japan Foundation

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 18 December, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Culture Ozodbek Nazarbekov met with Shin’ya Kurosawa, President of the Japan Foundation, in Tokyo.

The meeting took place against the backdrop of the “Days of Culture of Uzbekistan” in Japan, inaugurated with a concert at the Ginza Palace, which seats around one thousand guests, and the photo exhibition “New Uzbekistan”.

Nazarbekov underlined the significance of cooperation with the Japan Foundation, highlighting its contribution to strengthening cultural and intellectual dialogue between East and West. He emphasized that shared values of Japan — respect for national traditions, commitment to education and intangible heritage, and a pursuit of innovation — form a solid foundation for mutually beneficial cooperation. According to him, the meeting serves as an important instrument for practical steps to expand cultural collaboration.

Discussions focused on concrete areas of joint work: expanding cultural exchange programmes in visual arts, theatre and music; launching collaborative research on intangible cultural heritage and art history; opening Japanese language centres and cultural clubs in Uzbek educational institutions with the Foundation’s support; allocating grants and scholarships under the “Japan Foundation Fellowship for Arts and Culture in Asia”; introduction of Japanese practices in digital archiving of heritage; creation of virtual exhibitions and multimedia projects; and the development of a joint digital platform for cultural initiatives.

Both sides confirmed that cooperation with the Japan Foundation is not only a mechanism for cultural exchange but also a tool for strengthening mutual trust and friendship between the peoples of Uzbekistan and Japan.

The overarching objective remains the deepening of cultural and educational ties between the two countries.