Inside Japan’s plan for Africa ahead of TICAD

Japan Ambassador to Kenya Tatsushi Terada.

Japan’s interventions in Africa have mostly been under the radar, attracting little fanfare. Yet, it was the continent’s largest Asian economic partner until 2000, when China took the lead. In 1993, Japan pioneered Asian countries’ efforts to engage directly with African leaders by launching the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), with the United Nations Development Program and the UN’s Office of the Special Advisor on Africa.

The Chinese followed in 2000 with the launch of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). India joined the bandwagon in 2010 with the India-Africa Business Forum (IBF). Often attended by a majority of African leaders, as well as investors and development experts, these gatherings have been opportunities to negotiate international trade and to attract investors and official development aid (ODA).