On Friday, Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Akira Amari will start his visit to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia and Brunei over 27 April – 5 May, senior METI officials said on Tuesday.

Japan’s defacto energy minister is scheduled to visit Tashkent and meet top Uzbekistan government officials on 27-28 April and the governments are expected to sign joint statements in areas including building schemes in Uzbekistan, as well as cooperation in uranium and oil and gas developments, the officials said.

In Kazakstan, Amari is also scheduled to meet top government officials over 29-30 April and is expected to sign joint statements in areas including uranium development and upgrading refinery projects in Kazakstan, they added.  

On May 1, Amari will hold the 9th round of Japan-Saudi Joint Committee with Saudi Arabian Minister of Planning Khalid Bin Mohammad Al-Gosaibi at Riyadh. The ministers will discuss overall economic relations between the two countries.  

On 2 May, Amari will be co-hosting the 2nd Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable with Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Ali Naimi. Amari will be in Brunei over May 3-5 to meet top government officials and is expected to hold talks on energy cooperation after the two countries.

Amari is also expected to meet economic ministers of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations members including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam during his stay in Brunei.