The government is considering hosting a December meeting between the foreign ministers of Japan and five Central Asian nations of the former Soviet bloc, according to several Japanese government sources.
Japan hopes to cooperate with Europe and the United States to rein in Russia and China, both of which have a strong influence in the region. Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and his counterparts from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are expected to attend the meeting, likely to be held in Tokyo.
