BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 10. The importance of maritime security has been emphasized at a meeting of Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi on June 10.
This is reflected in the statement of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The meeting was held during Bayramov's visit to Japan on June 9-10.
During the meeting, both ministers welcomed the development of bilateral relations over the past 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, and reaffirmed the importance of active and fruitful political dialogue, including high-level visits and political consultations.
Both ministers emphasized that this visit provides an opportunity to further strengthen diplomatic relations between the two countries and confirmed their intention to deepen cooperation in a number of areas, including diplomacy and the economy.
The Azerbaijani side expressed its appreciation for Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) and expressed hope for continued cooperation with Japan.
The Japanese side recognized the importance of Azerbaijan's stability and prosperity for ensuring peace in the Caucasus region as a whole, and both sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the economic sphere.
Moreover, the Japanese side welcomed the Azerbaijani side's decision to unilaterally introduce a visa-free regime for Japanese citizens for a period of one year in order to promote tourism and further expand economic, humanitarian, and cultural ties. The parties confirmed that they will continue to facilitate mutual travel of their citizens.
The parties noted with satisfaction the 12th meeting of the Azerbaijan-Japan Joint Economic Committee held in September 2025 with the aim of further expanding trade and investment relations between the two countries and confirmed the need to hold the next meeting in the near future.
The parties welcomed the progress achieved so far in the negotiations on the Japan-Azerbaijan Investment Agreement, which began in February 2019, and agreed to accelerate the negotiations with a view to its early conclusion.
The parties expressed their agreement to use the Joint Lending Facility (JLF) to promote cooperation in the field of decarbonization and to hold the first meeting of the JLF Joint Committee in the near future.
The parties agreed on the importance of cooperation on the "Trans-Caspian International Transport Route" aimed at strengthening regional and wider connectivity.
They highly appreciated the fact that there is a long-term and close cooperative relationship between the two countries on the development of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli oil and gas fields, in which Japanese companies participate, and on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. This demonstrates the significant benefits and positive results of effective mutual cooperation between the parties.
The parties reaffirmed the important role of Azerbaijan in terms of stable energy supply in the current international environment, expressed their intention to further develop cooperation in the field of energy security, including in ensuring stable supplies of crude oil of Azerbaijani origin, and stressed the importance of maritime security.
Besides, the parties exchanged views on recent developments affecting economic stability, economic security, and the broader international environment, and reaffirmed the importance of continuing dialogue and cooperation on issues of mutual interest.
They confirmed the continuation of bilateral cooperation on elections in international platforms, including international organizations, and also expressed their determination to work together towards the early implementation of the UN Security Council reform, which includes the expansion of permanent and non-permanent membership categories.
In addition, the parties emphasized the importance of respecting the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of all states.
