Japan joined the race for Central Asia's natural resources on Monday as Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi arrived in Kazakhstan on the first visit by a Japanese premier to the former Soviet region, Reuters reported. Koizumi's visit comes at a time when Russia, China and the United States are already battling for influence in the region, home to massive oil, natural gas and uranium reserves. "Japan has scarce natural resources while your country has huge natural resources. This visit signifies that Japan intends to actively develop ties between Japan and Kazakhstan," Koizumi said in the Kazakh capital Astana. Japan's foray into Central Asia underlines its resolve to play a more active geopolitical role in the region, home to a U.S. and a Russian military base. "Your visit is an historic event in our relations, in our strategic partnership," said Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev. "We are witnessing - and we welcome - the activisation of Japan's diplomacy in Central Asia." Their talks focused on energy ties, especially joint development of Kazakhstan's vast uranium resources. Nuclear energy provides Japan with 30 percent of the electricity it uses. Koizumi and Nazarbayev signed a uranium development memorandum, which set out a broad framework for the two countries to work together on nuclear energy projects. Some in the Japanese business community have said uranium cooperation is a consolation prize for losing out in the race for Kazakh oil with China, Russia and India. Japan sees uranium as the focal point in its relations with Kazakhstan. But the two leaders did not consider specific uranium projects and discussed the issue only in general terms, a Japanese government official said. Analysts say Tokyo will have a difficult time competing with its more aggressive rivals, who have fostered close personal relations with Nazarbayev since the demise of the Soviet Union. However the Japanese government official, speaking anonymously on the sidelines of the visit, said Japan felt there was enough room for everyone in Central Asia. "There are various forms of cooperation such as joint ventures, consortiums," he said. "As long as development is sustainable, there is room for cooperation." Koizumi will hold talks on Tuesday in neighbouring Uzbekistan with President Islam Karimov. The United States and the European Union have snubbed Uzbekistan since 2005 when government troops mounted a bloody crackdown on protesters in the town of Andizhan.
