Signing of MOC and hosting “Turkmenistan Japan Business Forum” with Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations of Turkmenistan

March 2024

On March 27, JETRO jointly held the “Turkmenistan Japan Business Forum” in Tokyo, Japan with the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations of Turkmenistan and Embassy of Turkmenistan in Japan.

The Forum was held with attendance of State Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry Mr. Kozuki Ryosuke, JETRO Chairman and CEO Mr. Ishiguro Norihiko, JETRO Executive Vice President Mr. Maekawa Nobutaka, Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition Deputy Secretary General Mr. Ichinoki Manatsu and Japan-Turkmenistan Economic Committee Executive Director Mr. Hara Masumi from the Japanese side, and Minister of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations of Turkmenistan Mr. Begench Gochmollayev, Chairman of the board of the State Bank of Foreign Economic Affairs of Turkmenistan Mr. Rahimberdi Jepbarov and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to Japan Mr. Atadurdy Bayramov from the Turkmen side.

It was joined by approximately 140 people from public and private sectors of the two countries.

In the beginning of business forum, a memorandum of cooperation(MOC) was signed between JETRO and the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations of Turkmenistan. This memorandum outlines mutual and long-term cooperation between the two countries, focusing on information exchange related to trade, investment promotion, and collaborative events in the field of economy and industry.

In his opening remarks, JETRO chairman Ishiguro Norihiko praised that Turkmenistan’s efforts to join the WTO and diversify its industry and noted that JETRO will contribute to diversifying business between the two countries and broadening the base of Japnanese companies doing business in Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan’s Minister of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations of Turkmenistan Begench Gochmollayev introduced the government focus on diversifying its economy as a part of reform and expressed hope for collaborating not only with large Japanese companies but also with SMEs.

Economy, Trade and Industry State Minister Kozuki Ryosuke noted the MOC on energy transitions signed between two countries in January 2024, and expressed his expectations for realizing the energy transition and creating projects which would benefit both countries by utilizing Turkmenistan’s resources.

During the forum, an overview of the Turkmenistan’s national pavilion at the 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo was unveiled for the first time.