Significance of Pakistan–Japan relations discussed

ISLAMABAD ( WNAM REPORT ): The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) welcomed Ambassador Takeshi Akahori, Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, for exchange of views on bilateral, regional and international issues. The Japanese delegation included Mr. Iwase Kiichiro, Deputy Director, Southwest Asia Division, MOFA, Japan, and Mr. Shinohara Nobukuni, First Secretary at the Embassy of Japan in Islamabad.
Extending a warm welcome to the visiting dignitary, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood underlined the significance of Pakistan–Japan relations, anchored in mutual respect, long-standing friendship, and a shared commitment to regional peace and prosperity. He highlighted the vast potential for enhanced cooperation in trade, investment, climate change, energy, technology, human resource development, and people-to-people exchanges. He also underscored Japan’s important role as a longstanding development partner of Pakistan. Ambassador Sohail Mahmood further emphasized the importance of building stronger academic and policy-level engagements to foster mutual understanding and provide fresh perspectives on emerging challenges. He also underlined the need to expand collaboration in advancing regional connectivity, peace-building efforts in Afghanistan, and cooperation on multilateral platforms to address global issues such as climate resilience, sustainable development, and reform of international financial and governance institutions, noting that Pakistan greatly values Japan’s constructive role in promoting regional stability and its consistent support for inclusive dialogue and cooperative solutions in South Asia and beyond.
Senior Deputy Minister Akahori emphasised Japan’s strong interest in working closely with Pakistan to promote a stable, prosperous, and resilient future. He highlighted Japan’s consistent support for Pakistan’s development projects, including initiatives in climate resilience, human capital development, infrastructure, and regional stability, while noting the importance of sustaining long-term cooperation for shared growth. He further underscored the need to intensify bilateral collaboration in trade, investment, technological partnerships, and people-to-people linkages. He encouraged deeper, sustained exchanges on key regional and global issues to enhance mutual understanding and contribute to broader peace, stability, economic growth and prosperity in the region.
On regional and global matters, the two sides exchanged views on the developments in South Asia, Asia-Pacific, and Afghanistan as well as the evolving global order, including perspectives on major power relations.
The session, attended by members of ISSI research faculty, concluded with a reaffirmation of the mutual desire to strengthen Pakistan-Japan relations in all dimensions, underscoring the enduring relevance of bilateral partnership in the evolving regional and global context.