Japan-Kenya Relations

President Ruto welcomed Minister MOTEGI’s renewed visit to Kenya and expressed his desire to further develop bilateral relations in the future. In response, Minister MOTEGI, referring to the fact that this was their first meeting in 13 years, noted that it marked the 10th anniversary of Japan’s proposal of a ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)’ in Kenya, and expressed his desire to work closely with Kenya, an important partner that shares the fundamental values and principles.

1. Minister MOTEGI, while noting the growing presence of Japanese companies in Kenya, emphasized the contribution of Japanese firms to Kenya’s development, including infrastructure development in Mombasa area, and requested support for the activities of Japanese companies. In response, President Ruto expressed his gratitude for Japan’s support to date and stated his intention to continue cooperating to further promote investment by Japanese companies.
2. Furthermore, both sides concurred on cooperation in the field of security, including the first Official Security Assistance (OSA) programme for Kenya, which is currently being coordinated for implementation.

1. Minister MOTEGI explained the updated FOIP, stating that Africa is a priority region under FOIP and that Japan is a trusted partner for Africa, including Kenya, touching upon Japan’s approach in providing support.
2. Both sides expressed their commitment to working towards the realization of a free and open international order based on the rule of law.