This volume contains the proceedings of a seminar held at the Slavic Re-
search Center, Hokhaido University, on 22 Iuly 1 998. In addition to the three
papers presented at the seminar, an article by Mr. Rafis Abazov, who actively
participated in the seminar, is included.
At the time of the seminar, all the authors were staying in Tokyo as visiting
scholars. Recently; quite a few scholars from Central Asia have visited lapan.
Previously infrequent contacts between Japanese and Central Asian scholars are
now becoming more common, providing both sides opportunities to learn a lot
from each other.
Political and economic research on Central A~ia s'till has to be developed,
not only in Japan, but also in the Central Asian countries themselves. During
the Soviet period political inquiry was virtually absent, and economics was con-
fined to the strictures of offrcial ideology, After gaining their independence the
demand for research in the field increased, but this situation, ironically, makes it
difficult to do in-depth,time-consuming research. Some works offer no more
than a superficial outline of the present situation. Few scholars use new meth-
odologies developed in the West. Some authors have suffircient knowledge only
about their own country; while writing about the whole Central Asian region.
The papers published here are the results of the authors' efforts to raise the
level of political and economic research on Central Asia. It is to be judged by
readers whether their efforts were successful. In any case, we believe that the
papers provide a good opportunity for constructive dialogue between Central
Asian and Japanese scholars.