From October 22 to 28, Prime Minister and President of the LDP Shinzo Abe made a seven-day tour of Mongolia and five Central Asia countries, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic and Kazakhstan. The five republics are all former members of the Soviet Union that achieved independence after the Soviet Union collapsed.

During a liaison meeting of the government and ruling parties on October 21, Prime Minister Abe emphasize the need for stronger partnerships, saying, "Central Asia is a geopolitically important region located in the center of the Eurasia and rich in natural resources."

He traveled with the roughly 50 representatives of companies and organizations, and they attended economic forums in the countries they visited, calling for greater economic cooperation and enhancements to business environment. During meetings with heads of states, he discussed plans to strengthen "strategic partnerships" through frequent exchanges and interactions.

The visits were a part of Prime Minister Abe's "Diplomacy that Spans the Globe" initiative and mark the first visit by a Japanese Prime Minister to Central Asia in nine years (2006). Prime Minister Abe is the first Japanese prime minister to visit all five of the countries.