Japan PM to propose economic zone initiative for Africa amid China's clout
In a speech to open the three-day Tokyo International Conference on African Development, the ninth of its kind, Ishiba will also announce the launch of a framework to be joined by governments, industries and academia to promote free trade in Africa and vow to support human resources development in artificial intelligence, according to government sources.
Leaders and representatives from about 50 African nations and officials from international organizations will gather in the port city of Yokohama near Tokyo to focus on three agendas -- peace and stability, economic issues, and social issues such as health, climate change and youth exchanges, according to Japanese officials.
Under the proposed "Indian Ocean and Africa economic zone initiative," Japanese firms, which already have footholds in India and the Middle East, are expected to work together to expand trade and investment in Africa, the sources said.
On human resource development, Japan will pledge to cultivate 30,000 AI experts over the next three years to promote industrial digitalization and job creation, they said.
An outcome document dubbed the "Yokohama Declaration" is expected to be adopted on the final day, while Ishiba and Angolan President Joao Lourenco will attend a joint press conference as the meeting's co-chairs.
TICAD is a Japan-hosted international aid conference that dates back to 1993 and was last held in Tunisia in 2022. China has also been holding a forum on African cooperation since 2000 and has been increasing involvement in the resource-rich continent, including through its Belt and Road infrastructure projects.
The event is also taking place as U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs as well as his policy to dismantle America's foreign-aid program casts a shadow over the African economy.
Ishiba, who took office in October, is scheduled to hold a series of bilateral summits with his African counterparts on the fringes of the international conference.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Nikkei Asia
2 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
Japan automakers start to pass on Trump tariff costs to US consumers
Passenger cars waiting to be shipped to North America. Japanese automakers until recently absorbed the tariffs to keep U.S. retail prices steady. (Photo by Wataru Ito) SHUNSUKE USHIGOME August 21, 2025 00:42 JST TOKYO -- Japanese automakers are passing some of the expense of U.S. tariffs through to American car buyers, a change from their strategy of absorbing the impact, new data shows.
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
South Korea President Hints at Prizing Japan Over Tradition, Ahead of Visits to Japan, United States
SEOUL — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung implied that his decision to visit Japan before the United States shows a willingness to buck convention and reflects a practical diplomacy that prioritizes national interests. Lee hinted at this stance during an interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun on Tuesday. Lee is scheduled to visit Japan on Saturday and Sunday and then travel to the United States for a three-day visit from Sunday. It is unusual for a South Korean president to visit Japan before the United States, a key ally. In their first face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit meeting in June, Lee and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed to a policy of steadily improving their countries' ties through close communication, including reciprocal visits of their heads of government. Lee explained that he decided to visit Japan before the United States to 'put into practice' what he and Ishiba agreed on during the June meeting. Quoting a Korean proverb that means, 'Out of sight, out of mind,' Lee stressed the significance of reciprocal visits. 'The more often we see each other, the closer we become and the more trust we can build,' he said. 'I hope the Japanese prime minister will also visit South Korea when his schedule allows, so that we can strengthen our substantive cooperation through frequent exchanges,' he added. Lee also said he intended to exchange views with Ishiba on 'areas of mutual benefit, such as economic and sociocultural issues, private-sector exchanges, the environment and security.' He added that trilateral cooperation among Japan, the United States and South Korea, along with the U.S.-South Korea alliance, 'will be a fundamental axis in the economic and security fields,' indicating he will link his visit to Japan and to the United States to trilateral cooperation.
Japan Times
5 hours ago
- Japan Times
Government panel suggests Hepburn style romanization
A government advisory panel on Wednesday suggested revisions to the country's system for romanizing the Japanese language based on the currently widely used Hepburn style. The Council for Cultural Affairs included the suggestion in an advisory report submitted to culture minister Toshiko Abe the same day. In 1954, the government released a Cabinet notice setting out the standard for the romanization system known as kunrei-shiki, in which the Japanese kana syllabary pronunciation of "chi" is spelled as "ti," and "fu" as "hu." Even so, the Hepburn style, in which "chi" and "fu" are used, has become more common in society. Referring to the submitted report, the government is expected to revise the Cabinet notice as early as within the current fiscal year, which ends next March, for the first time in some 70 years. It will gradually apply changes to textbooks and other materials. The advisory council began considering a unified notation in 2022, to prevent confusion amid the two different romanization styles being used. In May 2024, then culture minister Masahito Moriyama consulted with the council on how the notation should be. The report adopted descriptions such as "shi", "ji" and "tsu" in accordance with the Hepburn style. In the case of a term that includes a tight sound, such as the Japanese word for an iron plate, "teppan", doubled consonants are used. A term with a prolonged sound, such as the Japanese word for mother, "kaasan," can be written with the macron symbol or by using doubled vowel characters. Based on the principles suggested in the report, Japan's capital city of Tokyo will be written "Toukyou." Still, it specified that common notations, such as "Tokyo," do not require immediate changes. Regarding personal and organizational names, the report noted that the notation should respect the wishes of those affected.
