The first visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Tajikistan, who has arrived today on an official visit to Dushanbe, began with the official welcoming ceremony in front of Qasri Millat (Palace of the Nation).

For welcoming the distinguished guest at the square in front of Palace of Nation formed a guard of honor and a brass band.

Distinguished guest - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was greeted by the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon who invited him to the honorary tribune.

The official welcoming ceremony has begun from report of Honor Guard’s commander, the performance of National Anthems of the two countries and then continued by a joint passageway of the Head of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe before the guard of honor, a tribute of the high-ranking guest to the National Flag of Tajikistan, greeting to the officers and soldiers of the Honour Guard, and the introduction of the official delegations of the two countries as well as the diplomatic corps accredited in Tajikistan.

The official meeting’s ceremony ended with the passage of the Guard of Honour before the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and Prime Minister Abe.

The issues related to the development of friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation were discussed at the first meeting of Emomali Rahmon and Shinzo Abe in the narrow format.

President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon once again congratulated Abe on the occasion of re-election as the Prime Minister of Japan, and said: "For Tajikistan, since the early days of its state independence, the establishment of mutually beneficial cooperation with Japan has been and remains one of the priorities of foreign policy."

 "We consider your country as an important partner, and this is our choice that withstood the test of time."

They expressed confidence that the first visit of the Prime Minister of Japan to Tajikistan will contribute to the expansion of relations between the two countries, strengthening the legal framework of cooperation.

Shinzo Abe, in his turn, pointed to the crucial role of Tajikistan in Central Asia, and its long border with Afghanistan, confirmed Japan's interest in expanding relations with our republic.

Sh. Abe also said: "I'd like to raise the level of our relations in all fields to a higher level."