Japan to Resume Yen Loans to Kyrgyzstan for 1st Time in 16 Yrs

Bishkek, Oct. 26 (Jiji Press)--Japan agreed Monday to provide low-interest yen loans to Kyrgyzstan for the first time in 16 years, for the Central Asian country's highway construction project. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Kyrgyzstan's President Almazbek Atambaev reached the agreement at their meeting in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Under the latest deal, Japan will lend some 12 billion yen to help the country build a highway connecting Bishkek with a southern city. After Kyrgyzstan fell behind schedule in repaying yen loans provided by the Japanese government in 1999 due to successive political changes in the country, Japan put a freeze on its yen loans to Kyrgyzstan in 2005. When Atambaev visited Japan in February 2013, he requested the resumption of yen loans. Japan decided to accept the request based on a judgement that Kyrgyzstan's current administration is promoting reforms by upholding parliamentary democracy. Abe and Atambaev also agreed that Japan will help Kyrgyzstan to introduce a biometric identification system for the 2017 presidential election. Abe told Atambaev that Japan will continue to support Kyrgyzstan's efforts to build a nation based on democracy. The two leaders also discussed moves by China, which is increasing its presence in Central Asia. Abe is the first Japanese prime minister to visit Kyrgyzstan. Speaking of a 1999 incident in which Japanese nationals were taken hostage in Kyrgyzstan by Islamic militants, Abe expressed gratitude for the country's help for their release. END