News Guide Africa

Tag: Japan

  • Julius Debrah Anchors Ghana-Japan Ties as Tokyo Backs 24-Hour Economy Vision

    Julius Debrah Anchors Ghana-Japan Ties as Tokyo Backs 24-Hour Economy Vision

    By Adnan Adams Mohammed

     

    In a major diplomatic breakthrough that signals strengthening bilateral ties, top Japanese envoys met with Ghana’s Chief of Staff, Dr. Julius Debrah, to reinforce strategic cooperation and celebrate Ghana’s recent macroeconomic milestones.

    The high-level meeting, held on Friday, June 12, 2026, focused heavily on alignment between Japan’s foundational foreign policy goals for the continent and Ghana’s current economic trajectory.

    The Japanese delegation, led by Ambassador Yoshimoto Hiroshi and Ms. Misako Takahashi, Director General and Assistant Minister for African Affairs, emphasized that the engagement went far beyond standard diplomatic protocol. Discussions were anchored strictly on Japan’s Three Pillars for Africa:

    ● Forging a continent of peace.

    ● Building a virtuous cycle of growth linking Tokyo to Accra and beyond.

    ● Shaping a society where prosperity is felt in the everyday lives of young people through bold co-creation.

    During the session, Ms. Takahashi praised Ghana’s fiscal discipline and forward-thinking economic planning, specifically pointing to the successful conclusion of the nation’s International Monetary Fund (IMF) credit facility.

    “Ghana’s completion of its IMF credit facility is highly commendable,” Ms. Takahashi noted during the meeting, while further hailing Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy Program as a “flagship vision with continental weight.”

     

    A Shared Commitment to the Future

    Responding on behalf of His Excellency the President, Chief of Staff Dr. Julius Debrah offered firm assurances that Ghana remains a stable, reliable partner for Japanese investment and development initiatives.

    “Cooperation will remain unwavering, and collaboration will keep evolving,” Dr. Debrah stated, cementing Ghana’s word to the visiting delegation.

     

    Insiders present at the talks characterized the atmosphere as one of “classic diplomacy at its best,” defined by mutual respect and measurable progress. Officials from both nations left the room in agreement that the future of Ghana-Japan relations is “not inherited but built together.”

     

  • GIPC to scrap minimum capital requirement as it reviews Act – Mahama discloses

    GIPC to scrap minimum capital requirement as it reviews Act – Mahama discloses

    President John Mahama has announced that his government is reviewing the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Act to eliminate the minimum capital requirement for foreign investors.

    Speaking during an engagement with Japanese business owners last week at TICAD-9 in Yokohama, the President said the reform is aimed at making it easier for investors of all sizes to establish and grow businesses in Ghana.

    “Whether you’re bringing in US$50,000 or US$100,000, you can set up and grow your business in Ghana,” he assured.

    He explained that the move forms part of broader efforts to create a more open and business-friendly environment, while positioning Ghana as a competitive investment destination in Africa.

    The reform is expected to encourage increased foreign participation across sectors such as manufacturing, agribusiness, energy, and digital innovation.

    Meanwhile, President Mahama has called on African leaders to undertake hard but necessary reforms to make the continent an attractive destination for investments.

    He said silencing the guns, ending conflicts, reforming economies to make them stable and predictable, and ensuring accountable, corruption-free governance were crucial to unlocking Africa’s potential.

    In his concluding remarks, Mr. Mahama noted that TICAD-9 was taking place at a time of a rapidly changing world order.

    He observed that the world’s largest economy, (the United States) which should drive global trade and investment, had become “more insular and transactional” in its relations with the rest of the world.

    The President further stressed that Africa must be pragmatic.

    ‘’Africa is open for business. We wish to partner with any nation in the world on a win-win basis. But let’s not kid ourselves! Trade and investments will not come to Africa just because we wish for it,” he noted.

     

     

  • Africa offers attractive investment opportunities for Japanese firms, say AfDB leaders.

     

    African development bank

     

     

     

    Africa presents a compelling investment destination for Japanese firms, with high growth potential and the African Development Bank’s strong support to manage risks, African Development Bank Group leaders have stressed at the recent Japan-Africa Business Forum in Tokyo.

     

    “Africa has huge private sector opportunities. The continent offers some of the highest returns globally,” said Prof. Kevin Chika Urama, Bank Group Chief Economist and Vice President, in a presentation highlighting Africa’s abundant renewable energy potential, and the need for strategic investments in green minerals and value addition. “Smart investments in Africa are good business — doing well by doing good,” he stressed.

     

    Dr. Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth, highlighted Japan’s competitive advantage in geothermal technology. “90% of all the turbines in Kenya are from Japan, starting with Mitsubishi,” he noted. Kariuki also positioned Africa as a solution to Europe’s energy challenges, with planned interconnections to export power and hydrogen.

     

    The forum was organized by the African Development Bank and Keizai Doyukai, the Japanese Association of Corporate Executives, with support from Japan’s Ministry of Finance.

     

    Bank leaders underscored the institution’s commitment to making investing in Africa more attractive. “We have facilities within the Bank to try and de-risk these projects,” said Kariuki, citing the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa’s (SEFA) support for the Kom Ombo and Kairouan solar projects amid escalating costs.

     

    Kazuko Nagura from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) announced plans to hold the third Japan-Africa Public-Private Economic Forum later this year. The event will offer Japanese companies an opportunity to travel to Africa to undertake business development and networking. Nagura also made reference to the ministry’s efforts to support Japanese business ventures in Africa such as theAfDX program and Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai planned for next year.

     

    During a panel discussion on investing in African startups, Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization Solomon Quaynor stressed the potential of the Fourth Industrial Revolution  to drive productivity improvements and deliver services to the base of the pyramid. “The idea is to use technology to increase profitability through efficiency, so you’re delivering value for which all segments of society are actually paying,” he explained.

     

    Quaynor highlighted the Bank’s initiatives to develop Africa’s human capital and startup ecosystem, including partnerships with tech giants: “We have a program with Intel to train nine million Africans in artificial intelligence and a coding for employment program to upskill up to 50 million youth.” He said the Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Banks(YEIBs) will further support tech-enabled companies and enhance the collaboration with & Capital, a new Africa-focused impact fund endorsed by Keizai Doyukai.

     

    Misako Takahashi, Deputy Director-General of the Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau at Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlighted TICAD as a platform for co-creating innovative solutions for growth and to discuss Japan and Africa’s shared future.

     

    Yacine Fal, the Special Representative of the African Development Bank’s President to the Africa Investment Forum, showcased the platform’s role as a premier conduit for investment into Africa’s agriculture, energy, transport, healthcare and ICT sectors, among others. She noted the successful participation of Japanese investors and business leaders including those from Keizai Doyukai at the 2023 Market Days held last November in Marrakech.

     

    Keizai Doyukai, and the African Development Bank reaffirmed their commitment to work together to strengthen business ties between Japan and African countries. The two jointly organized the business forum to increase interest in African business and promote a better understanding of the Japanese private sector ahead of TICAD 9.