Economic Relations
Japan-Kazakhstan/Kazakhstan-Japan Committees on Economic Cooperation

Japan-Kazakhstan and Kazakhstan-Japan Committees on Economic Cooperation were established on both sides on the initiative of representatives of the Japanese business circle and the Kazakhstani government. The Committees aim at promotion of economic ties between the two countries, and hold a joint economic conference almost every year. The latest joint conference was held in Tokyo, during President Nazarbaev's visit to Japan in December 1999.

  • The 1st Joint Economic Conference: June 1994, in Tokyo.
  • The 2nd Joint Economic Conference: June 1995, in Almaty.
  • The 3rd Joint Economic Conference: October 1996, in Tokyo.
  • The 4th Joint Economic Conference: May 1998, in Almaty.
  • The 5th Joint Economic Conference: December 1999, in Tokyo.

The co-chairman from the Japanese side is Mr. Shinroku MOROHASHI, Director and Senior corporate advisor of Mitsubishi Corporation. The co-chairman from the Kazakhstani side is Mr. Kasymzhomart TOKAEV, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Trade between Japan and Kazakhstan

Economic relations between Japan and Kazakhstan are steadily developing, though they are not so large in scale yet. There are three Japan-Kazakhstan joint ventures in Kazakhstan. Nearly twenty Japanese companies have a representative office in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Japan's main import commodities from Kazakhstan are metallurgical products, such as ferroalloy, titanium. Japan mainly exports machinery, including cars, home electrical appliances, and so on. Japan accounts for only about one percent of Kazakhstan's trade.

Japan's Trade with Kazakhstan (USD thousand)
Year199319941995199619971998
Size of trade95,67565,77457,781158,304227,282171,929
Export to Kazakhstan57,81229,23915,85732,68331,21752,392
Import from Kazakhstan37,86336,53541,924125,621196,064119,536
Balance19,949-7,296-26,067-92,938-164,847-67,144

Source: Japan Association for Trade with Russia & Central-Eastern Europe (ROTOBO)

Direct Investment

According to the statistics of National Bank of Kazakhstan, Japan is the sixth biggest investor to Kazakhstan.

Japan's direct investment to Kazakhstan
Year199319941995199619971998Total
Amount of Japan (USD million)-12.030.00.012.0227.4281.4
Share of Japan (%)-1.83.00.00.618.73.6

Source: National Bank of Kazakhstan


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