From Press Conference by Press Secretary
Mr. Yamazaki: I announced a couple of weeks ago about Japan's participation in observing the elections of the Lower House in the Republic of Tajikistan which was led by former State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Keizo Takemi. The elections were successfully held on Sunday 27 February. Although the detailed results of the elections have yet to be confirmed, I wanted to distribute some information to you on Japan's peace initiatives for Tajikistan.
Japan's peace initiatives are comprised of four main pillars, the first being assistance for the peace process and democratization under which former State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Takemi's group went to observe the elections. The second pillar is assistance for rehabilitation and reconstruction. The third is assistance for social and economic development at grassroots level. The fourth is assistance in human resources development. Under this fourth pillar is the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) training program for up to 500 trainees for five years. This pillar also includes a seminar on democracy and good governance for Tajikistan and it is under this item that we have invited the Minister for Foreign Affairs Talbak Nazarov of Tajikistan to Japan on a bilateral visit and also to attend the seminar on democratization where about ten of his colleagues from Tajikistan, including the Advisor to the President of Tajikistan Karim Yuldashev have all been invited to participate. The Foreign Minister will come on 5 March and will leave on 12 March and in between they will have the opportunity of not only seeing and being briefed about Japan per-se, but also they will be able to meet with Foreign Ministry officials on Japan's cooperation to central Asia, people from the Supreme Court on Japan's judicial system and Police Agency officials on how to control international drug trafficking and domestic law and order. They will also have meetings with the Secretariat of the Lower House and will be briefed on Japan's parliamentary system. (Reference document attached).