Japan to Support Central Asian Logistics Route That Bypasses Russia, Plan to Be Part of Upcoming Summit in Tokyo

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:52 JST, December 15, 2025

The government plans to support the development of infrastructure along a Caspian Sea logistics route that bypasses Russia to Europe, several government sources have said.

It will likely announce the policy at an inaugural summit with five Central Asian countries scheduled to be held in Tokyo later this month. The policy will be included in the joint declaration to be adopted at the meeting.

The support will included upgrading aging transport routes and streamlining customs systems to resolve cargo congestion.

The aim of the plan is for Japan to import vital goods and reduce economic security risks by bypassing Russia.

Central Asia is a key inland corridor bordered by China, Russia, Iran and other countries. The area is rich in energy and mineral resources such as oil, natural gas and rare metals. Japan intends to strengthen ties with these countries by proposing support measures at the summit.

The primary focus is the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route connecting eastern Kazakhstan with the Caspian and Black Seas. The importance of the logistics route has increased since Moscow’s aggression against Ukraine as an alternative to avoid Russia. Japanese companies have used it for exports from Central Asia to Europe.

Infrastructure development in Central Asia, including for the transportation and communications sectors, has lagged, with aging bridges and roads posing risks. The slow introduction of advanced scanning equipment at customs and other problems have caused lengthy clearance times.

Japan will survey the time it takes on the route in each Central Asian country, while working with international organizations to train customs officials.

In addition, Japan will help replace aging bridges on main roads in Kyrgyzstan and provide Tajikistan and Kazakhstan with large X-ray inspection machines for cargo screening. Japan will also check whether it is feasible to introduce cold chain logistics, a method of keeping food at low temperatures during transport, aiming to improve the livelihoods of people in Central Asian countries.