Japan, this discreet partner of Africa – USAinformations

The sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) held on 27 and 28 August in Nairobi. Little known to the general public, the Japanese cooperation with Africa is nevertheless very active. TICAD, which wants to promote “development, peace and security in Africa” ​​will appear in 1993. Return on Japan’s presence on the continent.

January 16, 2013, far from his land, Japan suffered the wrath of international terrorism. The attack on the Algerian gas site In Amenas by terrorists was 40 dead. The huge complex is a truly international hive. Of the 790 workers present, there were 134 foreigners from 26 countries. Among the affected countries, Japan paid the heaviest tribe. Ten Japanese were murdered by the group of Mokhtar Belmokhtar.
Are expected little to the presence of Japanese full-Saharan desert. But their company, JGC Corporation, specializes in liquid gas, and advanced fourth in the world. Its presence in Africa dates back to the 60, illustrating the enormous need for natural resources of the Empire of the Rising Sun in full economic boom. A “resource diplomacy” to use the expression of Young Africa , vital to an archipelago lacks all.
Over time the requirements have not changed, but the philosophy of relations between Japan and the continent is due less mercantile and political. Thus what appeared TICAD in 1993. Japan, G7, wants to exist on the international scene, particularly in Africa. And the approach to the mainland wants more partnership.

“A friend of Africa” ​​
Akihiko Tanaka, President of the Japanese Cooperation Agency says the journal Africa Renewal , the prevailing philosophy. “It is important to offer large sums of money that could help building roads, dams and power stations, but on top of that, we would focus on cooperative work to improve sanitation, cooperative work to improve education and cooperative work to improve agricultural production. “
African Manager website do not hesitate to present Japan as ” a friend Africa wants him good “. The site mentions among others the establishment of a geothermal power plant in Kenya.
According Hiroyuki Ishige, president of the Japan External Trade Organization, 687 Japanese companies working in Africa. A very low figure, he said, compared with 50,000 installed in Asia. The heavyweights of Japanese industry are yet present. So Toyota has a plant in Durban, South Africa. She has recently invested nearly $ 400 million in order to increase production.

Djibouti
creation in Djibouti in 2011 a Naval Air marks a turning point in Japanese history. For the first time since the war, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces settle overseas. This is for Tokyo to protect its merchant ships in the Indian Ocean, frequently targeted by hackers ships (four boats between 2007 and 2009). Warships set protection needed a nearby port to refuel.

This time, Japan takes a truly international scale. It relies on the support of African states to obtain a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.