Japan has called on the Taliban to uphold human rights during talks in Tokyo, marking the first known visit to the country by Taliban officials since their takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.
Toshihide Ando, head of the Foreign Ministry’s Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau, met informally on Tuesday with a Taliban delegation led by Latif Nazari, the Taliban’s deputy minister of economy, according to the ministry.
Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on women’s rights, including bans on secondary and higher education for girls, as well as strict dress codes and employment limitations.
Ando, who also serves as Japan’s special representative for Afghanistan, urged the Taliban to govern in a way that reflects the voice of the Afghan people, the ministry said.
Kyodo News reported that in a letter to the media organization on Wednesday, Nazari expressed Afghanistan’s desire for “strong, friendly, and deep relations with Japan”, noting that Tokyo “has never interfered in Afghanistan’s internal affairs and will not do so in the future.”
While he did not disclose details of Tuesday’s talks, Nazari urged Japan to expand assistance in education, health care, and infrastructure. He also encouraged Japanese businesses to invest in Afghanistan, claiming that “security has been ensured throughout the country, corruption has been eradicated, and a favorable environment for investors has been created.”
The Taliban delegation, whose regime is not recognized by Japan, arrived in Tokyo on Sunday at the invitation of the Nippon Foundation, a nonprofit grant-making organization.
