JICA Kyrgyz Republic Office

Greetings to everyone. My name is Hideaki Maruyama, chief representative of the JICA Kyrgyzstan Office. I am writing this from Bishkek, the capital.

The land area is about half that of Japan, and the population is a mere five million. As GNI per capita is USD590 per year, the standard of living is very low.

JICA has been providing assistance to Kyrgyzstan since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, and opened its office in 2000 to give even more comprehensive support. More than 1,000 JICA Kyrgyz participants have received technical trainings in Japan and work hard to build the country with their acquired skills. In order for this fledgling republic to achieve economic self-reliance and attain social security, JICA has set support targets and is working together with the Kyrgyz people -- adoption of market economy, agricultural and rural development, assistance for the persons with disabilities, and transportation infrastructures.

I truly hope this article helps stimulate interests in Kyrgyzstan among Japanese people, and then you will come over here to know more about this fascinated and beautiful country.

January 2009
Hideaki Maruyama, Chief Representative
JICA Kyrgyzstan Office