The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in collaboration with the Agency for Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan, held a ceremony on August 18, 2026. As part of the project, equipment was transferred for the preservation of Silk Road cultural heritage through the creation of digital archives.
The equipment was provided to the Agency for Cultural Heritage, the State Museum of History of Uzbekistan, and the Termez Archaeological Museum. The goal of this project is to strengthen Uzbekistan's capacity to protect and preserve its cultural heritage by providing resources for archiving valuable cultural and archaeological collections, as well as supporting regional revival and cultural development.
The State Museum of History of Uzbekistan houses approximately 340,000 exhibits, including finds from archaeological sites related to the history of Buddhism, as well as materials reflecting the civilization of Central Asia since the Stone Age.
The Termez Archaeological Museum stores about 110,000 items discovered at archaeological sites in the Sunikandary region, including artifacts from the Greco-Bactrian and Kushan periods. The museum also has an exhibition hall dedicated to the Japanese scholar Kato Kyuzo, who made significant contributions to archaeological excavations and site preservation in the Termez area.
The total cost of the project is 55.9 million yen under Japanese grant aid. It includes the provision of computer equipment, scanners, cameras, and presentation equipment, as well as consulting services.
It is expected that the digitization will ensure the long-term preservation of cultural and historical heritage and expand access to materials for users both in Uzbekistan and abroad through a dedicated website.
The Japanese Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Kenji Hirata, stated at the ceremony that Uzbekistan's cultural heritage is of great importance to Japan, as Buddhism reached Japan from ancient India via the territory of modern Bactria-Khorasan along the Great Silk Road.
He emphasized that it is a great honor for Japan to contribute to the preservation of this heritage, noting that the project combines two important areas—cultural heritage preservation and knowledge transfer—by creating digital copies of significant objects for further research.
The chief representative of JICA in Uzbekistan, Mamoru Sakai, called the ceremony a landmark event and noted that in addition to traditional areas of cooperation such as infrastructure, healthcare, and agriculture, the agency also supports the restoration of the country's cultural heritage, which he described as the foundation of Uzbekistan's national pride.
According to Sakai, this equipment will allow for three-dimensional digital scanning of heritage objects whose physical condition inevitably deteriorates over time, whereas digital data can be stored much longer. Sakai added that providing data through a website will give researchers worldwide access to the materials and may help attract foreign tourists, thereby creating an economic effect.