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The Significance of the Visit to Japan by His Excellency Mr. Benjamin William Mkapa, President of the United Republic of Tanzania

December 9, 1998

1. To Strengthen Relations with Tanzania, a Long-Time Friend of Japan Working to Implement Reform

1) Japan has maintained friendly relations with the United Republic of Tanzania ever since its independence in 1961 (as Tanganyika). Their Imperial Highnesses the Crown Prince and Princess of Japan visited Tanzania in 1983, as did then-Minister of Health and Welfare Junichiro Koizumi in 1997. Official visits have been paid to Japan by Tanzania's then President Julius Nyerere in 1981, then President Ali Hassan Mwinyi in 1989, and Prime Minister Frederic Sumaye earlier this year. (Prime Minister Sumaye was in Japan in October to attend the Second Tokyo International Conference on African Development.)

2) Tanzania has taken a number of reform measures in both the political and economic spheres in recent years. In the political sphere, the country is working to implement democracy. A multiparty system was instituted in 1992, and presidential and parliamentary elections were held in 1995. In the economic sphere, the country is moving away from the socialist policies that had been in place since its independence. Since 1986, Tanzania has been restructuring its economy and pursuing market-oriented economic policies. It has reformed its financial sector and various public corporations.

3) This visit will reinforce Japan's friendly relations with Tanzania, a long-time friend working to implement reform, and it will provide an opportunity to highlight the ways in which Japan's assistance has helped Tanzania in its task of national development. (Japan puts high priority on its assistance to Tanzania and is implementing the New Development Strategy of the Development Assistance Committee [DAC] of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD] with concrete actions.)

2. To Strengthen Partnership for African Development

1) In order to help achieve national development of Sub Saharan African countries through their own self-help efforts and with the support of the international community, Japan held the Second Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD II) in Tokyo in October 1998. At this conference, the Tokyo Agenda for Action was adopted to meet the challenges of the 21st century. As a member of the preparatory committee, Tanzania contributed actively to the development of the Tokyo Agenda forAction, and Prime Minister Sumaye personally attended the conference.

2) This visit will provide an opportunity for Japan to recognize Tanzania's outstanding contribution to TICAD II, and it will also afford the chance to reaffirm Japan's commitment to cooperate on follow-up measures aimed at furthering the cause of African development.

3. To Enhance Coordination with Tanzania, one of the Leading Nations of Southeast Africa

1) Africa's Great Lakes region, which is on the western border of Tanzania, is in a state of uncertainty, as it is home to the Democratic Republic of Congo and several other countries that are in the midst of serious political upheaval. Tanzania plays a key role in maintaining regional stability, as it acts as an intermediary between the warring parties in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and it also takes in refugees from Burundi.

2) Japan commends Tanzania for the positive role it plays in Africa, and shall use this visit to affirm its intention to continue working in coordination with Tanzania to maintain stability in the Great Lakes region.