Japan-Ghana Relations

July 17, 2026
Japanese

The year 2027 will mark “Japan-Ghana Triple Anniversaries”, namely, the 70th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Ghana, the 50th Anniversary of the dispatch of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) to Ghana, and the 100th Anniversary of Dr. NOGUCHI Hideyo’s stay in Ghana.

Japan and Ghana established diplomatic relations in March 1957, at the time of Ghana's independence. Twenty years later, in August 1977, the first JOCV members arrived in Ghana. The ties between the two countries, however, go back even further — 100 years. In November 1927, Dr. NOGUCHI Hideyo traveled to Ghana to conduct research on yellow fever.

In 2027, all of these commemorative milestones coincide in the same year, making it a particularly special occasion for both countries. It is therefore highly significant for Japan and Ghana to jointly celebrate this rare and memorable year in the long and friendly history of their bilateral relations. To mark this milestone, we are inviting a wide range of submissions for a commemorative logo design to be used for relevant events, publications, and other materials. Through this initiative, we hope to raise broader awareness of these “Triple Anniversaries” and further strengthen the friendly relations between Japan and Ghana. The application guidelines and further details are as follows.

Overview - Call for logo designs

  1. Please submit a logo design to commemorate the Triple Anniversaries.
  2. Submissions are welcome from anyone, regardless of nationality, age, or place of residence.
  3. Submissions must be received by Wednesday 30 September 2026.
  4. Please submit your logo via email to the First Africa Division, African Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (japanghana2027@mofa.go.jp) and the Information and Public Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ghana (IPAB@mfa.gov.gh).
  5. Successfully submitted logo designs will be evaluated by relevant officials concerned and a winner will be identified. The logo design created by the winner will be used as the official logo for the Triple Anniversaries.
  6. Results will be announced on the websites of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Japan and Ghana in November 2026 (subject to change).
  7. A certificate of commendation will be presented to the author of the selected work.

How to submit your design

Please send an email with the subject line “Logo Entry” addressed to the First Africa Division, African Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (japanghana2027@mofa.go.jp) and the Information and Public Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ghana (IPAB@mfa.gov.gh) with an attached file of your logo design. In addition, write your name, affiliation and a brief explanation of your logo design in the email body. Submissions by post will not be accepted or acknowledged.

  1. Your logo should be sent as a JPEG, PDF, or EPS file no larger than 3 MB in size and at a resolution of at least 300 dpi. It should fit on an A4 page when printed. (We may request formatting changes if necessary.)
  2. The text of explanation of your logo design should be approximately 100 characters when written in Japanese, approximately 50 words when written in English. When your logo design is finally selected and announced, the explanation will be made public together with your name and affiliation.
  3. Please submit both color and black-and-white versions of your design (no restrictions on number of colors, gradations, etc.).
  4. You may submit as many logo designs as you wish.
  5. No submitted logo designs or materials will be returned.

Points to note

  1. The logo design to be submitted must be for commemorating the “Triple Anniversaries”. Any logo design aiming at commemorating only one or two of the three anniversaries cannot be accepted.
  2. Submitted logo designs must be new, not previously published anywhere, and must not infringe upon copyrights, trademarks, etc., of any third parties.
  3. Submissions containing any of the following will be disqualified:
    1. content that is offensive,
    2. content that violates or might violate laws,
    3. content promoting political or religious groups or positions,
    4. content that is culturally or socially insensitive,
    5. content that does not fit the purpose of promoting friendly relations between Japan and Ghana,
    6. content intended for commercial purposes.
  4. The selected design will be subject to any edits, alterations, or processing necessary for use. In the event the logo is found to be unsatisfactory after the selection process, or if agreement cannot be reached as to revisions to the logo, the selected design will be withdrawn from use.
  5. All rights to submitted designs and the copyright to the selected logo will belong to the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Japan and Ghana. Those submitting designs agree to waive all rights and interests in the designs. In principle, submitted designs will not be altered other than to adjust size, convert to black and white, or translate into Japanese or English.
  6. The selected logo may be withdrawn from use if any information submitted with the design is later determined to be false.
  7. The selected logo design in its final form will be distributed to parties authorized by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Japan and Ghana, and will be used in connection with the aforementioned Japan-Ghana Anniversaries.
  8. Personal information of those submitting logo designs will not be disclosed or offered to third parties without the submitter’s consent.
  9. Receipt of submissions will not be acknowledged. Authors of designs not selected will not be contacted. We regret that we are unable to respond to inquiries concerning the selection process.

For more information

First Africa Division, African Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (japanghana2027@mofa.go.jp) and the Information and Public Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ghana (IPAB@mfa.gov.gh).

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