Japan-Algeria Relations (Basic Data)

May 2012

Basic Data

Diplomatic Relations:: 1958 Representative Office of Front de Liberation Nationale (FLN) was opened in Tokyo.; 1962 Bilateral relationship established upon Japan's recognition of Algeria's independence.; 1964 Japanese Embassy was opened in Algeria.; 1964 Algerian Embassy was opened in Tokyo.
Bilateral Treaties and Agreements:: 2004 Technological Assistance Agreement
Number of Residents:: Number of Japanese nationals residing in Algeria: 816 (October 2008); Number of Argerian nationals residing in Japan: 149 (December 2006)
Trade with Japan (2007): Exports: 44.9 billion yen (liquid petroleum gas (LPG) etc.); Imports: 100 billion yen (trucks, passenger cars, tires etc.)
Direct Investment from Japan:: 400 million yen(in cumulative for 10 year)
Economic Cooperation: Japan's assistance (cumulative as of 2007):; List of Exchange of Notes; Loans: 14.85 billion yen; Grants: 1.29 billion yen; Technical cooperation: 6.25 billion yen; Financing by Japan Bank for International cooperation (JBIC):; Approximately 986 billion Yen (cumulative as of March 2006); (Mainly towards hydrocarbon related projects at Sonatrach (JOGMEC?Japan Oil, Gas and Metal National Corporation); Earthquake Disaster Reconstruction:; (1) On the occasion of the earthquake that took place on May 2003, Japan had sent 61 rescue team members, 22 medical staff, and 7 specialists through Japan Disaster Relief team (JDR). The team saved one survivor at Zemmouri of Bourmerdes Province. Also, $100.000 was funded as emergency grant aid.; (2) For reconstruction of educational facilities, loan of up to 2.85 billion yen was offered in September 2004.; Technological Cooperation:; (1) Even though Algeria is listed as one of the ODA targets, any cooperation that involved sending staff was suspended until 2002 due to the deterioration in the security condition within the country. In 2004, Japan had dispatched long term specialists (assistance arrangements) and ever since then the country has been putting effort in enhancing the cooperative relationship between Japan and Algeria.; (2) In February 2003, environmental project forming committee was sent to Algeria and it has been providing special trainings such as on waste management, counter-industrial environment, cleaner production and water pollution. Also, environmental pollution specialists were sent in January 2004 and confirmed the metal contamination being progressed in the El Harrach River. Due to the finding, the importance of environmental monitoring was re-recognized. In this regard, project proposals about industrial area around El Harrach River and its surroundings had been developed in response to the official request from Algerian government. In addition, technical cooperative project was implemented in order to enhance the capacity of environmental monitoring (water, soil area) at Algeiers Central Research Center at National Observatory for the Environment and Sustainable Development (ONEDD) from December 2005 to November 2008.; (3) The group training in Japan receives about 30 trainees every year from Algeria and it provides various courses such as of health insurance, water resource, disaster prevention, governance, transportation, and after-disaster reconstruction in the field of agricultural development and rural development.; (4) Upon a visit of President Bouteflika to Japan, there was an endorsement on technical cooperation between Japan's Foreign Minister Machimura and Algeria's Foreign Minister Belkhadem (March 2006).; Grants for Fishery:; In 2006, as fishery cooperation, essential machineries in building training ships and ship handling simulators were donated. This grant is aiming to reserve training environment and to develop training curriculum that are fit for the needs of Algeria (up to 594 million yen).; Grass Roots Grant:; As a grass roots and human security cooperation, fund to build vocational training schools was granted in the fiscal year of 2002. These schools are designed for widows who had lost their spouses in terrorism (54.322 Euro). Also, grant for orphanage repairmen and facility maintenance was funded in the fiscal year of 2007 (66.015 Euro).; Cultural Grant:; Judo equipments were donated to Algerian Judo Federation as a part of cultural cooperation (34.7 million yen) in 2003. In 2004, musical instruments were offered to National Symphony of Algeria (40.9 million yen) and also in 2006, mobile Public library plan for public library of Algeria was implemented (up to 77 million yen).; Cooperation through International Organizations:; From the Japanese Funds-in-Trust for the Capacity-building of Human Resources, $703,000 was spent on cooperating on education reform in Algeria in 2003, and $223,000 was additionally spent in 2007.

VIP Visits

From Japan to Algeria:

Year	Name
1993:	Vice-President of KEIDANREN Mr. Yonekura
1996:	Special Envoy Ambassador Kurokouchi
1998:	Former Foreign Minister Kouji Kakizawa
1999:	Ambassador to the United Nations Yukio Satoh
2000:	Former Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura Senior State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Kiyohiro Araki
2001:	Education and Science Minister Nobutaka Machimura
2002:	Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Kenshiro Matsunami
2004:	Former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori
2005:	Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Katsuyuki Kawai
2006:	Vice Cabinet Officer Yoshitaka Sakurada
2007:	Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Itsuyuki Onodera

From Algeria to Japan:

Year	Name
1994:	M. Mourad BENACHENHOU, Ministre des Affaires Economiques M. Abdelouhab KERAMANE, Gouverneur de la Banque d'Algérie M. Tahar ALLANE, Ministre des Postes et Télécommunications M. Mohamed BENSALEM, Ministre du Tourisme
1995:	M. Abdelouahab KERAMANE, Gouverneur de lla Banque d'Algérie M. Amar MEKHLOUFI, Ministre de l'Energie et des Mines
1997:	M. Ahmed TIBAOUI, Président du Conseil National de Participation de l'Etat
1998:	M. Youcef YOUSFI, Ministre de l'Energie et des Mines
1999:	Mme Saïda BENHABYLES, Sénatrice M. Abdelmadjid ATTAR, Président Directeur Général de SONATRACH
2000:	M. Youcef YOUSFI, Ministre des Affaires Etrangères M. Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA, Président de la République
2001:	M. Abdelkader MESSAHEL, Ministre Déléqué auprès du Ministre des Affaires Etrangères
2002:	M. Ali TOUNSI, Directeur Général de la DGSN M. Chakib KHELIL, Ministre de l'Energie et des Mines
2003:	M. Abdelkader MESSAHEL, Ministre Déléqué auprès du Ministre des Affaires Etrangères
2004:	M. Cherif RAHMANI, Ministre de l'Amenagement du territoire et de l'environnement M. Mohamed MEZIANE, Président Directeur Général de SONATRACH M. Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA, Président de la Republique
2005:	Minister of postal and information technology Boudjemaa Haichour
2007:	Former Foreign Minister Mohamed Bejawi (September, November) Public Works Minister Amar Ghoul (December)
2008:	President Abdelaziz Bouteflika

Cultural Grant (cumulative total fiscal 1975-2004)

171.6 million yen (Cultural Grant Aid)

Bilateral Relations

Reflecting the recent improvement of security situation in Algeria, the economic cooperation with the dispatch of Japanese experts restarted from 2002.
It should be noted that Mr. Yoshiro MORI, Former Prime Minister, visited Algeria at the beginning of May 2004 and Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of the People's Republic of Algeria, paid an official working visit to Japan at the beginning of December 2004. During his stay, the Agreement on Technical Cooperation was signed as between Mr. Nobutaka Machimura, Foreign Minister of Japan and Mr. Abdelaziz BELKHADEM, Foreign Minister of Algeria, which is the first-ever agreement between Japan and Algeria.

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