Japan-Gabonese Republic Relations (Basic Data) 
December 2009
Basic Data
- Diplomatic Relations:
- 17 August, 1960 (Date of recognition of the State)
- Others: The Embassy of Gabon was established in Tokyo in 1968
- Number of Residents:
- Number of Japanese nationals residing in the Gabonese Republic: 20 (Oct. 1999)
- Number of Gabonese nationals residing in Japan: 13 (Dec. 1998)
- Trade with Japan (1998):
- Exports: 6,193 million yen (crude oil, timber, etc.)
- Imports: 4,574 million yen (automobiles, etc.)
- Direct Investment from Japan (cumulative total fiscal 1951-1998):
- 16,936 million yen
- Japan's Economic Cooperation:
- List of Exchange of Notes
- Loans: 7.0 billion yen
- Grants: 0.3 billion yen
- Technical cooperation: 0.6 billion yen
VIP Visits
- From Japan to the Gabonese Republic:
- None
- From the Gabonese Republic to Japan:
-
Year Name 1993 Minister for Foreign Affairs, MINDOUNBI (TICAD) 1993 Minister of Finance, BOUKUBI (TICAD) 1996 President of the Republic, BONGO 1997 Vice-Minister of Plan, MABIKA-MOUYAMA 2000 Minister for Foreign Affairs, PING
Cultural Exchanges
A judo competition (the Cup of Japanese Ambassador) is annually organised by the Embassy of Japan in Libreville.
Cultural Grant (cumulative total fiscal 1975-2004)
276.2 million yen (Cultural Grant Aid)
Recent Trends
President BONGO, who has ruled Gabon since 1967, was re-elected in the presidential election in December 1998. Today, there is unlikely to be any significant challenge to President BONGO, but he is faced with economic problems. Although the worst of the economic crisis has passed thanks to the recovery in oil prices, the long-term loss of revenue caused by declining production makes painful economic reforms necessary. Japanese economic cooperation is limited mainly to technical cooperation because of its high GNP per capita. Concerning personal exchange, Mr. and Mrs. PING, Minister for Foreign Affairs, was officially invited by the Government of Japan in March 2000.
Back to Index
