Automakers of Kazakhstan have started negotiations with the Japanese company Toyota to transfer the assembly plant, closed in Russia, to the republic, the Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development of the republic Kairbek Uskenbayev said, reports Interfax.

According to him, the brand is one of the most popular in the country, and if there is such an opportunity, businesses will not miss it. At the same time Uskenbayev clarified that entrepreneurs are unlikely to discuss the issue of transfer with the state. "This is a purely technical matter: how much and who invests the money, what competencies," explained the minister.

He added that he is not sure of the success, but if it works and the Toyota plant opens in Kazakhstan, it will be one of the strongest successes of the country.

Toyota's plant near St. Petersburg, which was launched in 2007 and supplied the RAV4 and Camry models to the market, ceased operations after Russian troops entered Ukraine. After six months of downtime, the company announced in September that it was shutting down production. The reason was given as being irregularities in the logistics chain for the supply of key components and materials.