Tajikistan to Benefit from Japan’s $2.2M Scholarship Program for Young Civil Servants

Japan is set to provide $2.2 million in grant assistance to Tajikistan under its Human Resource Development Scholarship Program, offering annual scholarships to young civil servants to pursue summer master’s programs in Japan and prepare them to become the country’s future leaders.

In Dushanbe, the governments of Japan and Tajikistan signed and exchanged Notes on Japanese Grant Aid, The Caspian Post informs via Tajik media.

The agreement was signed by Keiko Furuta, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Tajikistan, and Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Tajikistan’s Foreign Minister.

The project provides annual scholarships to 15 young civil servants for summer master’s programs at Japanese universities, aiming to train future leaders and contribute to Tajikistan’s long-term development.

Since its launch in 2009, the program has supported 136 scholars, including 102 master’s degree recipients and one PhD graduate, with 37 alumni advancing to leadership positions upon returning to Tajikistan.

Earlier this year, in February 2025, the two countries celebrated the 33rd anniversary of diplomatic relations. Japan has been a key partner in supporting Tajikistan’s sustainable development across water supply, healthcare, education, energy, transport, and border management, with total grant aid and technical cooperation reaching approximately $540 million by 2024.

Japan and Tajikistan also collaborate under the “Central Asia + Japan Dialogue”, a framework pioneered in 2004, which has achieved results through ministerial meetings, multi-format dialogues, and practical cooperation. Looking ahead, the first summit of the Central Asia + Japan Dialogue is planned to further strengthen and deepen bilateral ties.