JAPAN

The United States and Taiwan signed a trade agreement on Thursday to strengthen their economic ties, amid rising tensions with China. The U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade hopes to improve customs and border procedures as well as other policies between the two countries. While Washington and Taipei have no formal diplomatic ties, the two governments are connected through unofficial relations and have $105.7 billion dollars in annual trade.

Azerbaijan's Karabakh Revival Fund is negotiating to attract investments in the field of renewable energy sources (RES), chairman of the board of the Karabakh Revival Fund Rahman Hajiyev said at the Japan-Azerbaijan investment forum held in Baku, Trend reports.

According to Hajiyev, the Karabakh Revival Fund is developing a special project for this purpose.

Russia has been commemorating Yuri Gagarin's achievements to mark the 60th anniversary of his historic space flight. On April 12, 1961, Gagarin launched in the Vostok 1 spacecraft from Baikonur Cosmodrome and orbited around the Earth for 108 minutes before safely landing in Southeastern Russia. The flight was a triumph for the Soviet Union, illustrated its technological prowess and kicked off the space age.

Uzbekistan's officials held negotiations with Masahiro Yagi, the president of Yagiharu Co., Ltd trading company, which were organized via a videoconference, the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Tokyo reports.

During the videoconference, the issues of supply of textile products to the Japanese market were discussed alongside options for exporting goods using different types of transportation.