I came across with shared images on social media of flight maps from Ashgabat to Tokyo and landing moments. I didn’t know it was the images of first flight of Turkmenistan Airlines in the route. I realized that I missed the news about that.
This is another major step in Turkmen-Japanese relations. It is not the first, and doesn’t seem like it’s going to be the final.
The sides are having partnership in the fields of transport, communication, education, high technologies, organization of high-tech productions, delivery of various equipment and software applications, food industry, and many other spheres for many years. Some of Turkmen universities have their Japanese partners. For instance Oghuz Khan University of Engineering and Technologies have signed MoU with Tsukuba University, the International University of Humanities and Development has launched the Global Japan Office in cooperation with the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Ashgabat secondary schools numbered 37 and 144 are specialized in foreign languages, known as “Turkmen-Japanese” schools for their intense exchange with Japanese education system. Learning Japanese is now trendy among Turkmen youth. It is in the syllabus of many secondary schools and universities. Japanese Language has been delivered as a major linguistics program in Azady Turkmen National Institute of World Languages for decades.
You might think that there is only inflow investment from Japanese side in cultural and language exchange. But it is not true. In 2016 within framework of the MoU (between IUHD and TUoFS), the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies included the program of Turkmen Language among the course/curricula offered in its institution. Now, hundreds of Japanese students have the chance learning Turkmen from the native instructors.
Hot topic in Turkmen-Japanese relations is that tomorrow on Friday, 28 June, 2019) a gas-to-liquid (GTL) plant will be launched in Ovadandepe. This complex has been built under the contract of the state concern “Turkmengas with the consortium of companies “Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.” (Japan) and “Rönesans Endüstri Tesisleri Inşaat Sanaýi ve Ticaret A. Ş.” (Turkey.) The Agreement was signed during Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov’s official visit to Japan in September 2013. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in August 2014 with the participation of the President of Turkmenistan. It is to be the first of its kind. It is expected the the Launching ceremony gathers representatives of many international entities/actors.
This and many other projects were discussed during the 13th session of the Turkmen-Japanese Committee on Economic Cooperation which was held on 23 May 2019 at the conference hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.
Well, why did I tell you all that? Because, I was impatient for a response from my jet-lagged friends in Tokyo. Therefore, this article has become more like a milestone reminder of recent history in Turkmen-Japanese relations.
PS: Turkmenistan national soccer team had a hard fight against Japan in AFC Asian Cup on 9th of January this year in group games. Although we were beaten by score 3-2, it was a great game. I am proud of you guys!
Merdan Atayev
Ashgabat Committee of Industrialists’ and Entrepreneurs’’ Party of Turkmenistan
[1] https://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/news-list/n201802261330
[2] http://www.iuhd.edu.tm/en/global-japan-office
[3] http://www.turkmenistan.gov.tm/?id=11951
[4] http://www.tufs.ac.jp/english/NEWS/2016/turkmenlectures2016061602.html
[5] https://japan.tmembassy.gov.tm/en/news/1530
[8] https://ashgabat.in/?p=303
[9] http://tdh.gov.tm/news/tm/articles.aspx&article18117&cat19
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