The Kyrgyz Republic, also known as Kyrgyzstan, is a central Asian nation that came to prominence along Silk Road trade routes. As spouse of the ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to Japan, Soltobaeva Djamilya, who also studied at Kobe University, does all she can to promote exchange between the two nations. Active at events held by the embassy as well as through her work as an interpreter, she also introduced the culture of Kyrgyzstan to many people from around the world at this year’s Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. How have the experiences and knowledge she gained as a student helped her in her current work in diplomatic relations? We sat down with her after her lecture at Kobe University’s International Student Homecoming Day in October 2025, where she told us more about her background and provided a message to her juniors at Kobe University.
Did the Kyrgyz and Japanese descend from the same people?
“Kyrgyzstan and Japan have much in common,” said Djamilya with a smile. The facial structure of both peoples is similar, and many babies from both countries are born with blueish birthmarks called “Mongolian spots”. “There’s even a Kyrgyz legend in which a fish-loving man heads to Japan in the sea, while his meat-loving brother heads to mountainous Kyrgyzstan.”
Djamilya’s interest in Japan came at the age of 17 when she was just about to graduate from high school. Japan was well-known even in Kyrgyzstan for its high-quality automobiles and electric appliances, so when Djamilya entered the Faculty of International Relations at Bishkek Humanities University (now Bishkek State University), she began studying Japanese language and history. She was also influenced by her mother, who encouraged her to become a diplomat.
Three years after entering university, she finally achieved her dream of studying abroad in Japan. She was selected by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) to receive a scholarship as a Japanese Studies Student and headed to Kobe University. It was her first time overseas and her first time riding an airplane, so looking back, she considers the trip a point in her life “when things really began to change.”
Despite having studied Japanese in her home country, the Kansai dialect gave Djamilya trouble when she first arrived in Japan. She laughed, “I was trying to figure out what certain phrases and parts of speech meant.” But after just half a year, she had gotten used to the dialect and even understood the humor of Japan’s “manzai” comedy duos. Djamilya told us, “I would laugh so hard when I watched them on TV. We have a similar form of comedy in Kyrgyzstan, so I fell in love.”
Interacting with international students broadened her perspectives
Exploring Japan while she was studying abroad allowed her to experience all kinds of regional culture. One experience in particular came during an educational excursion to Okinawa, where she encountered a sanshin, a three-stringed folk instrument similar to the three-stringed komuz of Kyrgyzstan. She was captivated by the sound of the sanshin, and once again recognized the similarities between the two countries.
Her one-year stay in Japan not only deepened her understanding of Japanese culture, but also broadened her perspectives through interactions with international students from around the world. For instance, being from the mountainous country of Kyrgyzstan, Djamilya was used to the cold of winter, so it was a shock to see students from Vietnam struggling to walk along frozen pathways. These types of everyday experiences led to a deeper understanding of countries she had never known much about before.
After finishing her studies abroad and graduating from her university back home, she began teaching Japanese language and history at Bishkek State University. At the same time, she also started to become involved with infrastructure enhancement projects in Kyrgyzstan run by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as an interpreter and assistant. There, she met her husband, Erkinbek Osoev. An engineer with experience studying abroad at Yokohama National University, Osoev went on to become an official at the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan. Then, in 2023, he became ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to Japan, moving there with his wife Djamilya and their three children.
“Our family trip to Japan in 2019 after getting married was quite nostalgic and made me really want to come back and live here again. Perhaps God heard my prayers, as I was able to come and live in Japan once again,” Djamilya smiled.
Rediscovering the culture of her home country and Japan
It’s been two and a half years since she came to Japan as spouse of the ambassador. These busy days have taught her many new things about Japan.
“I’ve had experiences I never even dreamed of having, like meeting members of the imperial family at the Imperial Palace and witnessing foreign relations with many different countries. Thanks to my time in the Kansai area as a student, I’ve also been able to enjoy comparing and contrasting the cultures of Kansai with Tokyo and the surrounding Kanto region.”
In November of 2023, Djamilya also met with the president and first lady of Kyrgyzstan during their trip to Japan. “It’s very rare to be able to meet the president of my home country in Japan, so it was such a blessing to have the opportunity to serve as an interpreter for the first lady,” she reminisced.
Djamilya also represented Kyrgyz culture when she took part in the celebration of the National Day of Kyrgyzstan at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Kansai. Visitors enjoyed the exhibits at the expo featuring Kyrgyz felt products and dolls with a distinct, rustic charm characteristic of the nomadic nation. And her activity isn’t limited to large-scale events like Expo 2025; she also regularly holds traditional music concerts and Kyrgyz cooking classes at the embassy while also frequently participating in local international exchange events.
“My activity in Japan has also provided me with the opportunity to reexamine my own culture and lifestyle in Kyrgyzstan, which has also been quite enjoyable.”
Djamilya says that connecting Japan and Kyrgyzstan is her life’s work, and she’ll continue her efforts even after she returns to Kyrgyzstan. “While of course I’ll be promoting exchange on the business side of things, I’ve also dreamed of planning an educational project. I hope to be able to take the best parts of Japanese education and incorporate them in a way that fits Kyrgyzstan.”
At International Student Homecoming Day, Djamilya had a great time walking around Kobe University’s campuses and taking in the nostalgic Rokko atmosphere. During her lecture, she took several opportunities to thank the individuals she met in Japan and provided a message of encouragement to her juniors studying abroad.
“Enjoy your student life in Japan, and develop soft skills in cross-cultural understanding. Let’s all serve as cultural bridges to the rest of the world.”
Resume
In 1985, born in the Kyrgyz Republic. In 2008, graduated from the Faculty of International Relations at Bishkek Humanities University (now Bishkek State University). From 2005-2006, studied abroad for one year at Kobe University on a Japanese government (MEXT) scholarship. In 2014, received her master’s from the Academy of Management Under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic. From 2008~2021, taught Japanese language and history classes at Bishkek State University while also serving as interpreter and assistant in a JICA project for improving infrastructure from 2009. In 2023, arrived in Japan as spouse of the ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to Japan. Mother of one son and two daughters. Currently lives in Tokyo.
