(Sankei: October 16, 2015 – p. 11)

 Japan will resume yen loans to Kirgiz for the first time in 16 years. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will ink a deal later this month when he visits the least-developed county in Central Asia, a source familiar with the matter disclosed on October 15. In Turkestan, he will announce that Mitsubishi Corp., Sojitz and three other Japanese companies will undertake a project to build a gas pretreatment facility at the Galkynysh field, financed by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

 Abe is scheduled to go on a 7-day tour to Turkestan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kirgiz, and Kazakhstan from October 22.

 Japan will offer about 12 billion yen to Kirgiz to finance renovations of a cross-border arterial road. It has long helped the inland state with democratization through grant aid provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. It expects the resumption of the lending program to help Japanese firms expand operations there.

 The loans will be provided on the condition Japanese technologies will be used. The government will also make a sales pitch for Japan’s disaster-prevention knowhow, such as fences to prevent rock falls.

 In Turkestan, Japanese companies have won contracts for building petrochemical and fertilizer plants. In Kazakhstan, the government will help Japanese firms sell nuclear power generation knowhow. In Uzbekistan, it will help them with telecommunication projects.

 Abe will be accompanied by representatives of about 50 Japanese firms, including Mitsubishi Corp., Marubeni, Sojitz, Toyota Tsusho, JGC and NEC.