YEVA HARUTYUNYAN
Central Asia for taking off the states of the region from isolation and for overcoming economic difficulties through integration processes .
Japan is also interested in civilian nuclear cooperation . Being the third largest nuclear power in the world regarding the number of operating civilian nuclear plants , Japan is interested in cooperation with Kazakhstan - the second largest uranium-rich state ( 12 % of world uranium reserves ), and Uzbekistan ( 2 % of world uranium reserves ). For ensuring the interests of Japanese companies in these states Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in August 2006 . Later , a memorandum of cooperation was signed between Japanese and Kazakhstani companies in 2007 to help to ensure stable supplies of uranium to Japan in the long run , as well as facilitate the transfer of civilian nuclear technology to Kazakhstan and support the construction of a nuclear reactor . Among the 24 deals , Japanese companies – Marubeni Corporation , Tokyo Electronic Power Co . and Chubu Electric Power Co . agreed with Kazakh state-run atomic company Kazatomprom to obtain rights for developing the Kharasan-1 and Kharasan-2 uranium deposits ( 2,000 metric tons per year ). 22 It is notable that until 2018 the shares of Japanese companies which are known as Energy Asia consortium in Kharasan mine project have been the followings : Marubeni 30 %, Tepco 30 %, Toshiba 22.5 %, Chubu 10 %, Tohoku 5 % and Kyushu 2.5 %. In 2018 Kazatomprom bought a 40.05 % share in Energy Asia Ltd and a 16.02 % share of Khorosan-U . 23
For a long-term supply of uranium from Kazakhstan a contract was signed by Japanese Itochu Corp . Japan also agreed to provide Kazakhstan with technological assistance for the processing of uranium fuel and the construction of light-water reactors in exchange for supplies of uranium .
22
Togzhan Kassenova , Masako Toki , “ Japan and Kazakhstan : Nuclear Energy Cooperation ,” Nuclear Threat Initiative , March 13 , 2009 , https :// www . nti . org / analysis / articles / japan-kazakhstan-energy-cooperation / ( accessed August 11 , 2020 ).
23
“ Kazatomprom Completes the Acquisition of a 40.05 % Share in Energy Asia ( BVI ) Limited and 16.02 % in JV “ Khorasan-U ” LLP ,” Website of Kazatomprom National Atomic Company , December 14 , 2018 , https :// www . kazatomprom . kz / en / media / view / kazatomprom _ zavershil _ sdelku _ po _ priobret eniu _ 4005 _ doli _ v _ energy _ asia _ bvi _ limited _ i _ 1602 _ v _ too _ sp _ horasanu ( accessed August 11 , 2020 ). 32