Saint Petersburg, December 21, 2025 – The Europe Today: President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will visit Saint Petersburg, Russia, on December 21–22 to participate in a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council and an informal meeting of the CIS Heads of State, the Akorda press service reported. The visit follows his official trip to Japan from December 17.
During his visit to Tokyo, President Tokayev held talks with Emperor Naruhito on December 18, highlighting the longstanding friendly relations between Kazakhstan and Japan, grounded in mutual respect and extensive cooperation across political, economic, and cultural fields.
The Kazakh leader visited the Meiji Jingu Shrine, the largest Shinto shrine in Tokyo, and met with Kazakh citizens studying and working in Japan. He also held discussions with members of the Japanese Parliamentary League of Friendship with Kazakhstan, led by Toshiaki Endo, recognizing the League as an important mechanism to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
President Tokayev further met with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, culminating in the signing of 14 bilateral agreements, reinforcing ties in multiple sectors. On December 19, he met Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike to discuss cooperation in digitalisation, smart city technologies, artificial intelligence, sustainable urban development, and innovative solutions for city management. In the same context, Astana Mayor Zhenis Kassymbek and Governor Koike signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the capitals of Kazakhstan and Japan.
The Kazakh President also held high-level business meetings with leaders of major Japanese corporations, including Shingo Ueno of Sumitomo Corporation and Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security, Hiroyuki Ogawa of Komatsu Ltd, and Masafumi Senzaki of Hitachi Construction Machinery, exploring opportunities for investment and collaboration.
In addition, President Tokayev visited the United Nations University in Tokyo, delivering a lecture titled “Restoring Strategic Trust in an Era of Turbulence: How Kazakhstan Envisions a Fairer and More Stable World.” He emphasized Kazakhstan’s vision for building a more just and stable international order amid global crises and the weakening of multilateral mechanisms, stressing that comprehensive reform of the UN is now a strategic necessity.
The visit concluded with an official reception hosted by the Japanese Prime Minister in honor of the Central Asian leaders, further highlighting the growing diplomatic and economic ties between Kazakhstan and Japan.
President Tokayev will now proceed to Saint Petersburg to participate in the Eurasian Economic and CIS summits, where key regional cooperation and integration issues are expected to be discussed.
