This year marks the 115th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and South Africa—a milestone that reminds us of more than a century of friendship and shared progress. The relationship traces its origins to 1910, when Japan established an Honorary Consul in Cape Town. Since then, our two nations have deepened mutual trust and understanding. In particular, ties entered a new era after South Africa’s democratic transition in 1994. Japan, a steadfast supporter of peaceful reform, was among the first Asian nations to re-engage with the new South Africa, and our partnership has since flourished through frequent multi-layered exchanges and cooperation in a wide range of areas.
This commemorative year has been especially vibrant. In August, Japan hosted the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, which President Cyril Ramaphosa participated in. Earlier, in March, we received Deputy President Paul Mashatile on an official visit to Japan. In turn, for the last month’s G20 Johannesburg Summit Prime Minister TAKAICHI travelled from Japan to take part. It is noteworthy that Japan and South Africa worked closely throughout the process—linking the achievements of TICAD9 with those of the G20—to articulate a shared vision for Africa’s future and to reaffirm our joint commitment to addressing global challenges.
Building on this strong momentum, it is time to further elevate our bilateral partnership. Under the overarching theme of “Co-create Innovative Solutions with Africa”, TICAD9 reflected a profound paradigm shift in Japan–Africa relations, focusing on promotion of trade, investment and innovation, and Japan now views Africa as an indispensable partner in tackling global issues together.
In this context, South Africa stands as one of Japan’s important partners in realizing this vision. As the world faces mounting challenges to the rules-based international order and the erosion of fundamental principles, it is crucial to expand our common ground and cooperation on situations and issues around the world. This is possible as both of our two countries share the values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
Regarding bilateral relations, our cooperation is already progressing in diverse fields. In 2024, Japan was South Africa’s 6th largest trading partner and 7th largest investor. In fact, approximately 250 Japanese companies have their regional offices based in South Africa, and they view South Africa as a gateway to the entire African continent. South Africa’s stability is of great importance for the region and the world. For instance, the waters off South Africa are important as sea lanes connecting the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific Oceans. It is also widely known that South Africa is rich in mineral resources and strengthening its supply chain is an urgent agenda to be tackled. The focus has also expanded to green energy, decarbonization, and digital transformation in recent years, reflecting our shared priorities for sustainable growth. During TICAD9, Japan announced its plan to provide loans to support South Africa’s energy transition. Right before the G20 Summit, Japan and South Africa signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on decarbonization.
This year marks the 115th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and South Africa—a milestone that reminds us of more than a century of friendship and shared progress.
Shimizu Fumio, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of South Africa
People-to people exchange is the very basis of our friendly relationship. More than 2200 South African nationals have participated in various JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) training programmes since 1993. About 1,000 young South Africans have taught English at schools in Japan as participants of the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Programme. Also, over 110 South African students have studied in Japan under the MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) Scholarship. In sports, more than 50 South African rugby players and coaches are active in Japan, with some having played in the international test match between the two countries earlier this month. We expect these exchanges to further expand.
Over this 115 year journey, both Japan and South Africa have gone through many trials and experiences. Now, as we build upon our paths taken, let us take this opportunity to reaffirm our shared determination to work together for a brighter future for our two countries, regions and the world.
