A delegation consisting of several Azerbaijani city and region executive power heads returned from a visit to Japan.

A delegation    consisting  of  several  Azerbaijani city and  region  executive  power  heads  were on   a business trip   in Japan   from  June  1-10.  The purpose  of the  visit  is to become  closely  acquainted with   Japan’s  local  management system,  take advantage  of  existing  experience and  to  strengthen   the  bilateral  inter-regional  cooperation. The delegation  consisting  of  executive  power  heads   of  Baku city   Sabail, Khatai, Surakhani, Yasamal districts  as well as  Aghjabadi, Masalli, Shabran, Gabala, Gusar, Yardimli  regions and Shaki  city   were led  by  Deputy Head  of  Department  for    Work with  Regional Administration and Local Self-Governance Bodies  of  Administration under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Huseyn  Movsumov. The delegation  has made   business  trips  to  Tokyo, Meguro, Kobe, Fuchi Kawaguichi and  cities, held  meetings  with  leaderships of the  same  cities and  has  been  in a number  of well-known  companies  of Japan. The  views were  exchanged at the  meetings   around the  topics  on the  organization  of  local  governance, urban  planning, management  of  municipal economy  and  others  in Japan.
On June  2,  they  came  to  Meguro ward in Tokio  -where  our Embassy  in Japan is  located, met  with  region’s  management. Mayor  of  Meguro  Eiji Aoki provided  detailed  information  on  the region led  by him, expressed  his  confidence  that  inter-regional cooperation will  give  great contributions  to  relations  between  two  countries.
Head   of Azerbaijani   delegation  Huseyn Movsumov   gave  information  on strengthening  of statehood, development  of strategy  on rapid development  and  recovery  of  economy under the  leadership  of  our National Leader Heydar Aliyev  during   the period  of  independence and stressed  that  as a result  of successful  implementation  of  this  strategy by the  President  Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan   became   a leading state  in the region  and  it’s  position  was strengthened  among  the   fastest-growing  economies  of  the world.
During the  meeting, the  information was given  on economic development indicators of  regions and  cities  led  by  executive  power  making a visit.   A draft  of  protocol  of  intent  on  friendship and partnership between  Sabail district  and  Meguro  region was  submitted  to  Japan.  Azerbaijani  guests  familiarized  with transportation and parking infrastructure of Ohashi  and  informed them  about    historical  places  of the  region.
On June  3,  the delegation  visited  City  of Yokohama  located  near  Tokyo   and  met with the  management  of  municipality  and  «JGC» company. The  guests  coming from  Azerbaijan were  welcomed  by  Director  of    Chief  Department for Foreign Affairs of Japan’s  second  largest  residential  area  Makoto  Sekiyama. During the  meeting, urban planning  project  on  «Mokato Miray 21» (End  of the Future  21) carried  out   in Yakohama was  presented, video tape was  displayed and  importance  of  the  project  was   explained.  Heads  of  Yasamal  and  Surakhani  districts  of Baku  city  stated  that  they  are  ready  for  friendly  exchange  with  Yokohama. The project on protocol of intent   about   friendship and partnership exchange   was presented to   Japanese  side.
On June 4,  Azerbaijani representatives held  meeting with  the government  of  Fuchi  Kavaguchi city  of the  country.  City’s  mayor  Y.Vatanabe  mentioned  that they  were  informed about lately  rapid development  and  achievements  of  Azerbaijan. It was  mentioned  that,  in spite  of   nearly  27  thousand  population  living  in Fujikawaguchiko which  is  known  as  tourism  city,   3  million tourists  are   received in the  city. Y.Vatanabe   expressed  his  interest  in  the development  of  friendly  relations   with  Azerbaijani cities  and regions  within  the  framework  of  regional cooperation.  Hereafter, the presentations were held on city’s economic development directions.  Heads   of  Gabala,  Masalli, Gusar,  Shabran,  Yardimli and Aghjabadi  regions  who are  interested  in cooperation with  Fujikawaguchiko    city  provided  information  on the  economic  development  indicators  of  their regions and  invited Japanese  party  to visit Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijani delegation   became  closely  acquainted  with  tourism and  agricultural facilities  of the  city and   visited  historical as well as  interesting places  of  Fujikawaguchiko.
The delegation in which  Gabala Region Executive Power  Head  is  included   visited  Kansai region  on July  5.
They  held  several  meetings  in the city  of  Kyoto which has  an ancient  history  and  Kobe  city  that characterized  by  modern  secure  infrastructure. At the   meeting  organized   in  the  municipality  of  Kobe city  Deputy Mayor Toshiro Tamada    greeted  the  visitors  in Azerbaijani. Discussions  were  conducted  at the meeting, on conclusion  of  contracts  between Kobe city and  one  of the  Azerbaijani regions. Within the  visit  to Kobe city,  the  Azerbaijanis  came  to   «Şhinyei» company  well known   for  its  projects  carried out  in our  country. Taking into    account  the   company’s  urban  planning  experience  it  was  pointed  out that, the  company’s  participation    in «Ag sheher»(White  City) project which  is  planned  to  be  realized  in  Azerbaijan  would  be beneficial  for  both  parties.  
Within the  framework  of  visit  to  Kansai region,  the delegation  visited  Kyoto municipality-the former  capital  of Japan  which attracts the attention  of   numerous tourists with  historical  monuments. City’s  Mayor  Daisaku Kadokawa expressed  his  pleasure  to welcome  the  visitors  who came  from  Azerbaijan. It was  mentioned that   Shaki city  of  Azerbaijan  looks like  Kyoto  for  its  anciency and  urban planning culture  and that   conclusion  of  Friendship and  Partnership Treaty  between  two  cities would  be  useful  both  for  two countries  and  these cities. Delegation familiarized with tourism and cultural facilities, visited city’s historical and sightseeing places.
Azerbaijani officials visited   Kitakyushu city on June 6 and met with Mayor Kenji Kitahashi. The draft  of  a protocol of intent on cooperation and friendship between  Khatai district  and  Kitakyushu  city, including the   “Ag sheher”  project,  publications  about “Mother’s Cry”  memorial   and   region  were  presented  to  city administration. 
During the visit  to  Kitakyushu  city  , the   delegation were  given  detailed  information    on  “Hydrogen small town”,  “Eco town” projects,  visitors  got acquainted with  work  process   at  automotive waste processing plant. On June  7, the  delegation consisting  of  several  Azerbaijani  city and region   executive power heads  making  a  business  trip  to  Japan  visited our  country’s  Embassy  in Japan.     During the  meeting, Embassador  Gursel Izmayilzada   stated that  the  relations  with friendly  country   have  intensified  in recent  years  and  that  the  Japanese  interest  in  our country  and number  of  tourists  coming  to  our Republic  have  increased as a result  of     Azerbaijan’s transformation into the centre  where  international events  are  held.On June 8, the delegation  made an excursion to  places  on interest  of  Asakusa  district, visited  «Edo» museum and  had  a walk  in  “Imperial Palace” garden.
Makino-
On June  9,  the  Azerbaijani visitors  met  with  Takano Makino-Deputy  Foreign  Minister  for  Parliamentary Affairs   of  sunrise country.  The results  of  Azerbaijani  delegation’s  business  visit  to  Japan and  prospects for regional cooperation were discussed  at the  meeting. Deputy Minister  stressed  the  successful  continuation  of  Japan-Azerbaijan  relations  and  noted  that  the  friendly  relations  forming  between  the regions  of two countries  would  give significant  contributions  to  further bringing  two nations  together  which has  ancient  and rich  culture, to   the development   of  cooperative relations.
Head  of  Delegation, Deputy Head  of  Department  for    Work with  Regional Administration and Local Self-Governance Bodies  of  Administration under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Huseyn Movsumov expressed his  gratitude to  Japanese side  for  warm welcome  and   organization   of visit  at  a  high-level. Huseyn Movsumov  who   provided  information  on  achievements of  Azerbaijan  in recent years  stresses  that  he  highly  appreciates  and  keeps  the  focus  on  relations  of  head  of  state  Ilham  Aliyev  and  Japan. Deputy  Head  of Department  who   mentioned  a great  potential  between  Azerbaijan and  regions  of  Japan   expressed  the  necessity  of  developing  of relations  between two countries  in the  field  of  science, culture, education and high technologies.
During the  meeting,   the  Deputy Minister  was  presented  drafts  of  protocols  of  intensions  on  friendly exchange  and partnership  given to  cities  municipalities
during the  visit to  the regions  of  Japan and   confidence  was  expressed  on  that  the  Ministry  of Foreign  Affairs  of  Japan  will assist  in  positive solution  of  the  problem. 
Deputy Minister TakanoMakino, confirming the need for the development of friendly relations between the regions of the two countries, stressed that Japan is ready to take all possible steps to achieve this goal.
Business    visit  of  delegation  consisting  of several Azerbaijani city  and  region  executive  power  heads  completed  on June  11.