Japan's Strategic Interests in Africa

 The Center for Strategic and International Studies published in May 2024 a study titled "Japan's Strategic Interests in the Global South: Africa" by Shirato Keiichi, Ritsumeikan University.

The paper reviews the history of Japan's policy toward Africa, summarizes the challenges facing Japan's Africa policy, and proposes ways to make Japan's constructive engagement with Africa sustainable.  It also explores Japan's competition with China and Russia in Africa.

It is in Japan's strategic interest to gain support from as many African countries as possible, to serve as a diplomatic deterrent to dissuade China from furthering unlawful maritime expansion in the Indo-Pacific or invading Taiwan. To gain the support of African countries, Japan needs to contribute to their peace and prosperity through development aid, investment, and military cooperation.  

It will be virtually impossible for Japan to increase development assistance to African countries given its declining birth rate and aging population.  Rather than pursue an increase in development aid to Africa, the Japanese government is faced with redesigning its African diplomacy amid the relative decline of Japan's national strength.

Japan's TICAD versus China's FOCAC

 The Institute for Security Studies published on 26 August 2022 a commentary titled "Japan's TICAD May Be Upstaged by China, But Remains Important" by Peter Fabricius.  

The 8th session of Japan's Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) took place over the weekend in Tunisia.  TICAD has focused over the years on training and education.  Japan finances far fewer large infrastructure projects than China, emphasizes the private sector as a driver of growth, and involves multilateral institutions and civil society in the development process.  

Ukraine War May Result in African Food Crisis

 The World Economic Forum published on 16 May 2022 a commentary titled "Averting an African Food Crisis in the Wake of the Ukraine War" by Ahunna Eziakonwa, director of the UNDP regional bureau for Africa.

The war in Ukraine threatens to plunge Africa into another episode of famine and deprivation.  This could in turn trigger political instability and social unrest.  

Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Twenty Years Later

 The Diplomat posted on 2 December 2020 an interview with Deborah Brautigam titled "FOCAC Turns 20: Deborah Brautigam on China-Africa Relations."

The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) turned twenty in 2020.  Deborah Brautigam looks at the origins, goals, and continuing legacy of FOCAC.  

Japan/India Growth Corridor Fails to Compete with China's Belt and Road Initiative

 The French Institute of International Affairs published on 19 October 2020 a study titled "Should We Forget about the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor?" by Takuya Taniguchi.  

Three years ago, Japan and India launched the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC), which looked like an attractive alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative.  The author concludes that the AAGC has no significant achievements and has almost been forgotten.  The AAGC was a vision document that contained no concrete implementation plans.  

Japan and China's Summit Competition in Africa

The South African Institute of International Affairs published on 31 January 2020 an analysis titled "Japan and China's Summit Competition in Africa" by Cobus van Staden.

The author looks at how Japan's TICAD and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation engage with Africa in the G20. He also discusses the competing visions of China's Belt and Road Initiative and Japan's Free and Open Indo-Pacific.

Japan Chases China in Africa

The South China Morning Post posted on 13 September 2019 an article titled "Chasing China, Japan Looks to Africa for Trade and Global Influence," by Jevans Nyabiage.

Japan, the world's third largest economy behind the United States and China, is ready to engage more actively in Africa and, where possible, to compete directly with China.

Japan Faces China in Africa

The Washington Post published on 28 August 2019 an article titled "With One Eye on China, Japan Vows To Expand Its Engagement in Africa" by Simon Denyer.

Japan is hosting this week the seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). In his opening speech, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe emphasized that Japanese private sector engagement in Africa is a reasonable alternative or at least supplement to China's engagement on the continent.

Japan Is Taking on China in Africa

Foreign Policy published on 22 August 2019 an article titled "Japan Is Taking on China in Africa" by J. Berkshire Miller, Japan Institute of International Affairs.

In late August, Japan will host the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) that will emphasize a more holistic partnership with Africa. This is Japan's response to China's engagement in Africa.

Japan Chides China on African Debt

The Nikkei Asian Review published on 7 October 2018 an article titled "Africa Aid Should Factor Debt Sustainability, Japan Says."

As Japan prepares for the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) summit in 2019, it is emphasizing that loans to Africa must take into account debt sustainability and suggests China may not have been doing this in recent years.

Sino-Japanese Competition in Africa

The Stockholm-based Institute for Security and Development Policy posted on 19 January 2018 an analysis titled "More Than Just for Profit: Sino-Japanese Interests Clash in Africa" by Liam Palmbach.

The author argues that Japan is stepping up its engagement in Africa and encountering more frequent competition with China.

Rising Sino-Japanese Competition in Africa

Brookings posted on 31 August 2016 a commentary titled "Rising Sino-Japanese Competition in Africa" by Yun Sun, non-resident fellow at the Africa Growth Initiative.

The author argues that China is exasperated by Japan's attempt to encroach in Africa on what China sees as the foundation of its foreign policy. China is especially concerned that Japan has introduced the issue of freedom of navigation into the discussion with Africa and about the Indian Ocean. China has relied on African support to defend its position on the East and South China Seas.

Can Japan Challenge China in Africa?

The Diplomat published on 16 September 2016 a commentary titled "Can Japan Challenge China in Africa?" by Jonathan Connars, an American investment risk analyst.

He concludes that if Japan wishes to challenge China's dominance in Africa, it has an uphill battle ahead of it. The article states that "no less than 39 African countries publicly opposed a recent ruling from The Hague declaring China's maritime claims in the South China Sea illegal" in an effort to underscore the weakness of Japan's support in Africa. The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, which tracks positions on the South China Sea dispute, reports that so far only Sudan in Africa has publicly aligned itself with China in opposing the ruling from The Hague. Algeria made a neutral statement without addressing the ruling.

Japan and China Compete in Africa

South Korea's TBS eFM This Morning radio program titled "Issue Today: Japan's African Investment" interviewed me for 10 minutes on 13 September 2015 concerning Japan's recently held TICAD in Nairobi, Kenya and the competition in Africa between Japan and China. The interview focused on Japan's trade, aid, and investment in Africa.

You have to scroll to the entry in the right-hand column dated 0913 and cited as Issue Today: Japan's African Investment.

Japan Works to Reset Relationship with Africa

The South African Institute of International Affairs published on 26 August 2016 an analysis titled "From First-mover Advantage to Coming from Behind: A New Phase of the Japan-Africa Partnership" by Elizabeth Sidiropoulos and Neuma Grobbelaar.

Keyed to the August TICAD meeting in Kenya, the authors suggest that Japan has fallen well behind China in its ties with Africa but is now trying to reposition itself on the continent, including seeking support for membership on the UN Security Council. In 2015, Japan's trade with Africa totaled $20 billion compared to $180 billion with China. While Japan's investment in Africa grew from $1.7 billion in 2005 to $10.5 billion in 2014, trade remained flat.

China and Japan Compete in Africa

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) published on 31 August 2016 a commentary titled "China and Japan: Walking in Each Other's Footsteps" by Peter Fabricius, ISS consultant.

Following China's FOCAC meeting in South Africa last December, Japan held its TICAD summit with African leaders in Kenya in August. The author concludes that Japan has fallen behind China in the new scramble for Africa. Japan is playing catch-up and has moved its TICAD summits from a five-year to a three-year cycle, following China's example. All of this competition is, however, good for Africa.

Africa East-Asian Affairs

The Centre for Chinese Studies at Stellenbosch University just published the June 2015 (issues 1 and 2) African East-Asian Affairs and China Monitor.  It contains the following contributions:

--The 'Fong Kong' Phenomenon in Botswana: A Perspective on Globalization from Below by Zi Yanyin
--From Humanitarianism to Trade Promotion: The Changing Emphasis of Japanese Development Co-operation to Africa by Shoko Yamada
--AU-China Peace and Security Co-operation: RECs, CSOs, and Think Tanks for the Win by Lina Benabdallah
--African Soft Power in China by Adams Bodomo
--The Effectiveness of Confucius Institutes as a Tool of China's Soft Power in South Africa by Maddalena Procopio
--Enduring Silk Ties by Mandira Bagswandeen
--China's Silk Road Economic Belt: African Perspectives and Implications by Bob Wekesa
--African Agency in the Context of China-Africa Relations by Lucy Corkin

Japan's Prime Minister Visits Africa

The Brookings Institution published on 14 January 2014 a background piece on Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's recent visit to Ethiopia, Cote d'Ivoire and Mozambique.  Titled "Japan in Africa: A Rising Sun?" the author is Amadou Sy.

The Diplomat published on 15 January 2014 a commentary titled "Africa: China and Japan's Next Battleground?" by Shannon Tiezzi.  While the title of the article suggests that China and Japan are competing head-to-head in Africa, the article quotes both Chinese and Japanese officials that they are not competing in Africa.