Japanese and African leaders Friday stressed the importance of “affordable” investment in the continent, in an apparent swipe at China whose Belt and Road policy has been accused of saddling poor countries with debt.
A joint statement wrapping up a three-day Africa development summit said: “We believe that quality infrastructure, that guarantees affordability with respect to life-cycle costs, is fundamental for sustainable economic transformation.”
The meeting of leaders and representatives from more than 50 African nations and international bodies has taken place in the shadow of China, which has invested massively in Africa under its controversial Belt and Road initiative.
On Thursday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made a thinly veiled dig at Beijing’s policy, which has come under fire for loading African countries with debt.
“If partner countries are deeply in debt, it interferes with everyone’s efforts to enter the market,” Abe told the assembled leaders.
This provoked a sharp response from foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang in Beijing, who described this as “purely unreasonable speculation”.
“It should be pointed out that African leaders have said many times that there was never a lack of international conferences and promises of aid to Africa, but the key lies in action and implementation,” noted Geng.
At the conference, Japan has focused on the “quality” of its investments rather than the volume of China, which announced a massive $60 billion in African development funding last year.
For example, Japan plans to train experts in 30 African countries in the next three years on managing risks and public debts, Abe announced.
The emphasis at the meeting has also been placed on private investment rather than state development funding.
“I hope you notice how enthusiastic Japanese companies are in doing business in Africa,” gushed Japan’s Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko.
Abe said: “With the local community and the host country, the government of Japan is trying to push forward the activities of Japanese business.”
“We will be happy to provide them all our support for advancing Africa in various forms,” he added.
Since 1993, Japan has partnered with African countries to hold the TICAD (Tokyo International Conference on African Development) around every five years in a drive to promote aid and business opportunities.
At the last meeting in 2016, Japan pledged around $30 billion in development funding for Africa but there was no immediate figure put forward on Friday as the conference closed.
Does he mean like spending ¥5.32m on weapons? Couldn’t he just tell them about Premiun Fridays and the 3 arrows?
Well , Africa has nothing to lose. If the deals are open and agreeable. China or Japan, – do a good deal, a good job and the recipients will decide who does it best
“I hope you notice how enthusiastic Japanese companies are in doing business in Africa,” gushed Japan’s Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko.
Showing ethusiasm at a conference hosted on home soil and really venturing out are two different things.
Japanese electronic companies are too contented with the domestic market and not even interested in the international market let alone the African market, the Japanese mindset is that Africa is too far, poor. dangerous, disease ridden and not worth the trouble. It is a lost battle there is no way Japan can unseat China in Africa, I wish they could.
Japan is not involved in Africa to make profits. It is there to help raise all these poor people out of extreme poverty. For PRC, its all about making money and robbing their mineral resourses. Japan will not saddle the Africans with huge debt.
It would be great if major Japanese corporations followed the Abe Cabinets advice. For example Toyota could start manufacturing more autos in Africa (they already manufacture some cars in South Africa) thus providing jobs and a way out of poverty.
Japan is not involved in Africa to make profits. It is there to help raise all these poor people out of extreme poverty.
Says who?
Everyone is in Africa for profits. But it’s also time to treat Africans as adult people, not like “children” that must be protected at all cost according to the fake European propaganda. At least both Chinese and Japanese treat African Countries like business partners, not like retards. Europeans think deporting millions of African men is “solidarity”. And Africans must wake up. They are men and women like all the others. Work to improve your continent, that is rich of resources. Use your brain and accept the best opportunities. If your leaders are corrupt, protest and try to choose better leaders. Period.
@Cogito Ergo Sum: exactly. Your average fake European “left winger” would say “Oh no! Chinese and Japanese, stop exploiting little poor innocent naive cute whatever African people”. And then they call the others “racist”. They speak about Africans like they were puppies.
Japan is not involved in Africa to make profits. It is there to help raise all these poor people out of extreme poverty.
Delusion grandeur.
Japan is not involved in Africa to make profits. It is there to help raise all these poor people out of extreme poverty.
It’s purely philanthropic? Forgive my cynicism but I’d prefer some proof on this.
Ganbare Japan!Today 05:44 pm JST
Japan is not involved in Africa to make profits.”
Correct. It is there for geopolitical strategic reasons. Teaching moment over.
Ganbare,
You should be more interested in the Ashes that Japan’s involvement in Africa which has come about 30 years too late.
Drlucifer:
“Japanese electronic companies are too contented with the domestic market…”
Didn’t know the Japanese companies such as Sony considered US as domestic.
I am talking of consumer electronics. Sony is not your typical consumer electronics maker like Panasonic, hitachi or toshiba.
drlucifer
not your typical consumer electronics maker like Panasonic, hitachi
I don’t know, the Hitachi Magic Wand has brought relief to half the world.
Joining the Chinese in the rush for the earth’s last remaining land grab, and minerals.
Joining the Chinese in the rush for the earth’s last remaining land grab, and minerals.
Exactly further impovering the African people in the process.
Shame on you LDP shame on you…
Africans want win – win investment in quality infrastructure and don’t care where it comes from, Japan or China.
Already Japan is losing out to China that’s why they are throwing all these subtle jabs. What the Japanese government can do is to encourage the private sector here, Japan’s big multi nationals to invest in Africa.