Arfiya Eri’s Meeting with Uzbek Officials Rekindles Turkic Heritage Between Uyghurs and Uzbeks
5 min readby Tahir Imin Uyghurian
Discussions about the deeply rooted—yet politically manipulated—relationship between Uyghurs and Uzbeks have reemerged as a prominent topic across the Turkic world this week, following a high-profile meeting between Japan’s first Uyghur-Uzbek member of parliament and deputy foreign minister, Arfiya Eri, and the President of Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a series of high-level meetings in Japan during his official visit in December 2025, including a widely noted exchange with Arfiya Eri, Japan’s Deputy Foreign Minister and a Uyghur woman with Uzbek heritage who has emerged as a prominent figure in Japanese politics.
In a video shared by Arfiya on social media, she greeted President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in the Uyghur language, prompting a warm and symbolic exchange that highlighted their shared Turkic heritage. In the video, Arfiya can be heard saying:
“Hush keldingiz Yaponiyegä”
(Welcome to Japan.)
“Jude (in Uzbek) qarshi alimiz.”
(We warmly welcome you.)
During the exchange, President Mirziyoyev invited Arfiya Eri to visit Uzbekistan, asking:
“Qachan Oʻzbekistangha barasiz?”
(When will you visit Uzbekistan?)
Arfiya replied:
“Rähmät. Allah xalisä.”
(Thank you. God willing.)
President Mirziyoyev also praised her, saying:
“Men sizdin jude gʻururlandim.”
(I felt very proud of you.)
President Mirziyoyev additionally presented her with flowers, a gesture that drew attention and praise across social media platforms.
Arfiya later explained on X that the exchange took place naturally in two closely related Turkic languages:
“The president is speaking in Uzbek, and I am speaking in Uyghur.”
She further wrote:
“I was honored with overly kind words regarding the fact that, despite being born and raised in Japan, I cherish my Uzbek roots and have deepened my understanding of the language and culture, and I was even presented with beautiful flowers.”
Later, during the “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue (CA+JAD) Summit, she was seen dancing with Uzbekistan’s Minister of Culture, Ozodbek Nazarbekov—a leading artist and singer who has performed in Ürümqi with Uyghur musician Mominjan Ablikim and is widely respected across Central Asia.
This event took place at the Japan-Central Asia Countries Summit and sparked widespread enthusiasm across the Turkic world. It also highlighted the rich cultural ties between the Uyghur and Uzbek peoples, as well as their shared Turkic linguistic heritage. Uzbek and Turkish media outlets, along with numerous social media users and influencers, responded with enthusiasm.
Shared Language and Cultural Heritage
Uzbekistan, a Central Asian country, speaks a Qarluq branch of Turkic languages, the same linguistic branch as Uyghur. Linguistically, Uyghur and Uzbek belong to the Karluk branch of the Turkic language family, giving them notable similarities in vocabulary, grammar, and oral traditions. Culturally, the two peoples share customs, music, cuisine, literature, and a rich scholarly legacy shaped by historic centers such as Kashgar, Samarkand, and Bukhara.
However, China’s ethnic policy has long obstructed Uyghurs’ ability to openly assert their Turkic roots. The Chinese government has officially discouraged and restricted narratives that connect Uyghurs to the broader Turkic world, effectively severing hopes of solidarity or involvement from other Turkic countries in Uyghur issues. Xinjiang authorities and China Central Television have reinforced this position through state-produced media, including the documentary “Uyghurs are not descendants of the Turkic people – Historical Footprints of Xinjiang, China” in which claims that Uyghurs are not descendants of Turkic peoples.
In China, for a Uyghur academic or artist to openly claim Turkic heritage can be treated as a punishable offense, often framed as “ethnic separatism” or collaboration with foreign forces. Such expressions are portrayed as threats to China’s concept of a unified “Chinese national community.” The newly drafted “Ethnic Unity Law” further enforces this approach by compelling Uyghurs to prioritize state-defined ethnic ties with China while explicitly rejecting cultural, historical, or linguistic connections with foreign Turkic peoples, including Uzbeks.
A Strong Uyghur Voice in Japan
Arfiya has been a vocal advocate against China’s genocide of Uyghurs even before taking office. She has participated in numerous Uyghur activism events across the globe, raising awareness of her community’s plight.When she elected to the country’s National Diet, Arfiya told Axios that We are of course victims of genocide. But we are so much more than that. We also deserve to succeed and we deserve to thrive, and that’s something I hope to model through my work,”.
In October, Turkiye’s Minister of Public Works and Transportation Erhan Arıklı made a post regarding Arfiya Eri, “We hope that Arfiya Ali will be the voice of the Uyghur Turks under Chinese oppression.”
Strengthening Uzbek–Japanese Parliamentary and Strategic Ties
As part of his official visit to Tokyo, President Mirziyoyev also met with Fumio Nukaga, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Japanese Parliament.
According to the press service of the Uzbek presidency, the meeting emphasized the important role of parliaments in advancing the Uzbek-Japanese strategic partnership and expanding multifaceted cooperation. It was noted that representatives of Japan’s House of Councillors actively participated in the 150th anniversary session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, held in Tashkent in April this year.
President Mirziyoyev’s visit included meetings with Japan’s Emperor, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, and senior parliamentary leaders, reflecting the depth of bilateral engagement.
Major Economic Agreements
During the visit, Uzbekistan and Japan agreed on a new portfolio of cooperation projects worth more than $12 billion (€11 billion). The agreements were finalized following talks in Tokyo ahead of the C5 plus Japan summit, covering strategic, trade, and cultural cooperation.
The exchange between President Mirziyoyev and Arfiya Eri has been widely viewed as a rare and meaningful public moment highlighting Turkic solidarity, linguistic continuity, and the visibility of Uyghur identity in international diplomacy.
Discover more from Uyghur Times
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
