Japan Set to Unveil Roadmaps to Help Central Asian Nations Shift From Coal, Gas to Clean Energy

The Yomiuri Shimbun

1:00 JST, September 15, 2025

The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry has decided to present roadmaps to all five Central Asian nations to support their decarbonization efforts. These roadmaps will include policy proposals tailored to each country’s power generation mix, such as improving the efficiency of thermal and hydropower plants, and introducing nuclear power plants.

By strengthening cooperation with Japanese companies such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which excels in high-efficiency gas turbine technology, and domestic electric utilities, Japan aims to deepen partnerships with these nations while countering the influence of China and Russia, which wield significant sway in the region.

On Tuesday, Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yoji Muto will share roadmaps with the five countries during the Ministerial Economic and Energy “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue, scheduled to be held in Tokyo on Tuesday. The roadmaps will outline transition scenarios toward an optimal power supply mix, aligned with each nation’s timelines for achieving virtually net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Kazakhstan relies heavily on coal, while Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan depend mainly on natural gas for thermal power generation, making CO2 emission reduction a pressing issue. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan primarily use hydropower, but during the winter, when water resources freeze, they must rely on coal-fired power.

To address these challenges, Japan plans to deploy its companies’ advanced technologies as part of the roadmaps. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is recognized for its expertise in CO2 capture from exhaust gases and nuclear plant development. Panasonic Holdings Corps. specializes in high-efficiency heat pumps with excellent energy saving performance.

To make greater use of the abundant hydropower of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, Japan will propose the development of cross-border power transmission and distribution networks. Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. and Kansai Electric Power Co., which both possess strong know-how in stable electricity supply, have expressed interest in expanding into Central Asia.

Although Central Asia maintains strong economic ties with China and Russia, the region’s reliance on them for energy carries significant risks, and it is seeking to develop technologies with alternative partners.