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Japanese scholar: Relations with Azerbaijan are of great importance

Maiko Ichihara, Professor of International Relations at Japan

03 November 2026 10:00 (UTC +04:00)

Relations between Azerbaijan and Japan should be further developed, Maiko Ichihara, Professor of International Relations at Japan's Hitotsubashi University, told journalists during her visit to Azerbaijan, APA reports.

She emphasized that the Caucasus region is currently of great importance in terms of the existing geopolitical landscape, and Azerbaijan is one of the important countries in this regard.

"Azerbaijan has oil reserves, which give it certain opportunities to exert influence on other countries. Azerbaijan is located in such a strategic geographical position that a number of conflicts are currently taking place in the region. In particular, the ongoing war between the United States and Iran is one of the issues causing concern worldwide. This is because the conflict negatively affects the economy of every country.

I believe that Azerbaijan can play an important role in diplomacy and can also consider opportunities to exert influence on other countries by using its energy resources," the professor noted.

She drew attention to the need for broader development of cooperation between the two countries.

"Attention should be paid to important countries such as Azerbaijan, and their activities should receive broader coverage. Azerbaijan-Japan relations are also of great importance in this regard," Maiko Ichihara noted.

Toghrul Guluzade

Azerbaijan Japan Maiko Ichihara Hitotsubashi University Azerbaijan-Japan relations bilateral cooperation diplomacy Caucasus geopolitics energy resources international relations