This marks my second assignment to the Kyrgyz Republic, and I am delighted to return to this beautiful country with its wonderful people, approximately 15 years after my first posting from 2005 to 2009.
Having been here for only about a week, I have only just begun to explore a small part of Bishkek, the capital city of the Kyrgyz Republic. However, I can already sense the remarkable growth of the city and the country over the past 15 years, with a noticeable increase in high-rise buildings, the emergence of stylish shops and restaurants throughout, and a significant expansion of the city's footprint.
In JICA's projects, there have also been significant growth and achievements over these 15 years. The first is the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship （JDS）. JDS is a grant aid project that provides full scholarship to young leaders from target countries. In the Kyrgyz Republic, the program began in 2006 during my first assignment, and to date, over 300 government officials have studied at Japanese universities. About 80% of the returning students have taken on key positions, with deputy ministers being a particularly prominent example, and are leading the country as well as serving as bridges between the Kyrgyz Republic and Japan.
Another project is the "One Village One Product" initiative. This project started in 2007, and at that time, I was also in charge of the project at the JICA office. Initially, it targeted the Issyk-Kul region in northeastern Kyrgyzstan, but after my return to Japan, the scope expanded to all seven regions of Kyrgyzstan. By 2023, the Kyrgyz government officially designated the One Village One Product movement as the National project. In the current phase, the project has extended its target areas to neighboring Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.
The year 2025 marks the 25th anniversary of the dispatch of JICA volunteers and the establishment of the JICA office in the Kyrgyz Republic. Over the years, in addition to these two flagship projects, we have advanced numerous initiatives and large scaled projects, such as the development of transportation infrastructure, improvement of healthcare services, enhancement of agricultural and livestock productivity, and the promotion of business and cultural exchanges between Japan and the Kyrgyz Republic. Looking ahead to the next quarter-century, we are dedicated to advancing the development of the Kyrgyz Republic and strengthening the ties between the Kyrgyz Republic and Japan.
April 2025
Nishigata Kotaro, Chief Representative, JICA Kyrgyz Republic Office
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