Japanese trading house Sojitz plans to begin construction on an international airport in Tashkent this year, according to Nikkei, marking the centerpiece of a ¥146 billion ($1 billion) infrastructure campaign across Central Asia.
The airport project involves a public-private partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Vision Invest, with Sojitz committing several hundred million dollars to the venture. The trading house currently manages airports in Japan’s Kumamoto and Okinawa prefectures, as well as Palau.
The initiative reflects growing Japanese interest in Central Asia as countries there reduce dependence on Russia following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Uzbekistan has emerged as a priority market, with Sojitz also pursuing a 1,573-megawatt gas plant in Syrdarya region, a one-gigawatt wind facility in Navoiy, and a hospital in Samarkand.
Vision Invest, a Riyadh-based infrastructure developer, brings experience from water, energy and transportation projects across the Middle East and recently committed $700 million to African industrial zones. The partnership combines Saudi capital with Japanese operational expertise in a region where infrastructure needs are surging.
Tashkent’s existing Islam Karimov International Airport faces capacity constraints, while a recently completed business aviation facility at Tashkent-East handles government and executive flights. The timing suggests Sojitz aims to capitalize on projected passenger growth as Uzbekistan deepens commercial ties with Western markets.
