When the United States hosted its second presidential-level C5+1 Summit with the leaders of Central Asia on November 6, it signaled a shift that has been building quietly for several years: the region is no longer a strategic afterthought. Sanctions, chokepoints and geopolitical rivalry have redrawn the global economic map, pushing countries to look for stable partners and resilient supply chains. Now, as Japan prepares to host its own C5+Japan Summit on December 19, Tokyo faces a similar inflection point and an opportunity to correct what has long been a blind spot in its foreign policy.
Japan has historically maintained cordial ties with Central Asia, but its involvement has rarely kept pace with the region’s growing strategic value. Today, however, Japan’s core economic security concerns, such as securing energy, accessing critical minerals, and diversifying transport routes, intersect directly with what Central Asia offers. The upcoming summit provides Tokyo with a chance to place these relationships on a more structured and strategic footing.
Japan’s decision to convene this summit is due to several forces, the first being its need to secure stable supplies of energy and strategic resources. Few countries are more relevant here than Kazakhstan. As the largest economy in Central Asia, Kazakhstan attracts around 80 percent of all foreign investment flowing into the region. It is Japan’s strongest economic partner among the five Central Asian states. Japan ranks among Kazakhstan’s top ten investors, with roughly $9 billion already invested, and mutual trade approached nearly $2 billion last year. Kazakhstan produces over 40 percent of the world’s uranium, making it relevant to Japan’s energy mix and long-term decarbonization strategy.
Beyond uranium, Kazakhstan possesses one of the most diverse critical mineral portfolios in the world. Out of the 32 types of raw materials used in Japan’s green technologies, 22 are extracted in Kazakhstan, including rare earth elements, lithium, tantalum, chromium, and copper. For Japan, which is implementing its own Economic Security Promotion Act and trying to reduce exposure to single-source suppliers, these resources are strategically indispensable.
A second driver of Japanese interest lies in connectivity. Japan’s economic model relies heavily on maritime routes, including those that pass through the South China Sea, the East China Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Red Sea. Recent years have illustrated how vulnerable these arteries are. These pressures are prompting Japan to look for alternative, non-maritime transport options linking Asia and Europe.
This is where Central Asia becomes relevant. The Middle Corridor, or the Trans-Caspian route, running from China through Kazakhstan, across the Caspian Sea and on toward Europe has rapidly gained attention. Although still developing, freight volumes through the corridor have more than doubled within a year.
Kazakhstan already accounts for roughly 80 percent of all overland freight traffic between Asia and Europe, making it essential for any future Eurasian trade architecture. Yet the next phase of the corridor’s development will require high-quality infrastructure financing, digital governance standards and advanced logistics expertise. These are areas where Japan has deep experience, and where its involvement would shape the Middle Corridor’s trajectory.
Meanwhile, Central Asia’s governments are engaging the United States, the European Union, the Gulf countries, China, and now Japan through structured “C5+1” platforms. Their strategy is to diversify partnerships, strengthen diplomatic autonomy, and attract investment that comes with high standards. Japan’s re-engagement fits this shift.
Kazakhstan and its neighbors are seeking from Japan high-quality infrastructure investment, particularly in transport and logistics, where Japanese firms have strong reputations for transparency and efficiency. They also need technology and expertise in renewables, hydrogen, and energy efficiency.
Kazakhstan, which is preparing to build its first nuclear power plant, has long cooperated with Japan on uranium supply and nuclear research. Deeper collaboration on nuclear safety and fuel-cycle management would be mutually beneficial. Beyond the strategic industries, Kazakhstan possesses vast coal reserves – over 115 billion tons, among the largest globally – as well as significant metallurgical, petrochemical, and agricultural capacity. It has already expressed readiness to expand exports in these sectors. The country has also voiced interest in Japanese medical technologies, professional training, early-warning systems, and disaster-risk monitoring – areas where Japan has a well-established global profile.
At the C5+Japan Summit, the first priority should be to place critical minerals cooperation on a longer-term foundation. Rather than relying on ad hoc commercial agreements, Japan would benefit from structured partnerships that include joint exploration, processing, environmental standards, and predictable offtake arrangements. This is essential if Japan wants resilient supply chains for electric vehicles, batteries, semiconductors, and clean-energy technologies.
Another priority is embracing the Middle Corridor as an asset for Japan’s own connectivity diversification. Although maritime routes remain dominant, few countries understand the consequences of prolonged chokepoint disruptions better than Japan. Investing in Kazakhstan’s segment of the corridor – through technical assistance, logistics modernization, digital customs systems, and port upgrades – is a practical investment in Japan’s long-term economic security.
Japan should also deepen cooperation in the energy transition sphere. This includes expanding collaboration in nuclear safety and research, supporting Kazakhstan’s shift toward renewables and hydrogen, and partnering on grid modernization.
The broader point is that Japan’s economic security strategy, which aims to secure critical minerals, diversify energy inputs, and reduce dependence on vulnerable trade routes, cannot rely solely on Western partners. Central Asia – and particularly Kazakhstan, the region’s economic core – is now indispensable to achieving these goals. The C5+Japan Summit offers Tokyo its clearest opportunity in two decades to align its foreign policy with its economic-security needs.
