Japan-Republic of South Africa Relations
Japan-South Africa Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
On August 24, commencing at 6:00 p.m. for approximately 40 minutes, Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a foreign ministers’ meeting with Hon. Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa, during his visit to Maputo, the Republic of Mozambique, to attend the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) Ministerial Meeting. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
1. At the outset, Minister Kono stated that he was pleased to meet with Minister Nkoana-Mashabane and expressed his gratitude for the support that South Africa provided at the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. Moreover, Minister Kono stated that among African countries, South Africa accommodates the largest number of Japanese companies, and that he would like to further develop the bilateral relationship.
2. In response, Minister Nkoana-Mashabane stated that South Africa views its relationship with Japan with the spirit of “Ubuntu” (I am because you are). She hoped that the production activities of Japanese companies in South Africa will expand and that the economic relationship between Japan and South Africa will develop further.
3. In addition, the two ministers exchanged views on topics such as cooperation in the international arena, including on the development of Africa.