Japan-Republic of South Africa Relations
Japan-South Africa Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
On May 5 commencing at 8:35 a.m. local time (3:35 p.m. on same day, Japan time) for 60 minutes, Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, during his visit to South Africa, held a foreign ministers’ meeting with Honourable Mr. Ronald Lamola, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa.
1. Introduction
Minister Lamola expressed his welcome for Minister MOTEGI’s visit and conveyed expectations for further development of bilateral relations, including economic relationship, as well as for strengthening cooperation in international forums. In response, Minister MOTEGI, while referring to the high-level exchanges between the two countries in recent years, stated that South Africa, which shares fundamental values and principles such as freedom and the rule of law—the core principles of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)”—is an important partner of Japan, and that he wishes to promote cooperation in bilateral relations and in international forums.
2. Bilateral Relations
Both Ministers agreed to further strengthen bilateral exchanges in areas such as critical minerals and energy.
- Minister MOTEGI stated that, with regard to critical minerals, Japan has been promoting cooperation with South Africa from the perspective of strengthening supply chain resilience, and both Ministers agreed to continue working together in public-private sectors.
- Minister MOTEGI stated that Japan will support South Africa's efforts toward decarbonization and energy transition, and both Ministers agreed to advance concrete cooperation in line with the joint statement on decarbonization cooperation signed between the two governments in November last year. Minister MOTEGI also stated that he wished to continue making arrangements toward the provision of yen loans for the reform of South Africa's energy sector. In response, Minister Lamola expressed gratitude for Japan's support and stated that he wished to further strengthen cooperation with Japan in the field of energy.
- Minister MOTEGI requested cooperation toward the development of an investment environment that would enable Japanese companies to conduct stable business activities. In response, Minister Lamola stated that he wished to continue cooperating toward further promoting investment by Japanese companies.
3. Cooperation in International Fora
- Minister MOTEGI explained the updated FOIP and stated that the African continent, including South Africa, is a priority region of FOIP. Both Ministers agreed to work together toward maintaining and strengthening a free and open international order based on the rule of law.
- The two Ministers also discussed regional affairs, including the situation in the Middle East, the situation in East Asia, the Russia-Ukraine situation, peace and stability in Africa, and Japan-SADC (Southern African Development Community) relations, as well as various challenges facing the international community, such as the reform of the United Nations Security Council, and confirmed their intention to continue strengthening cooperation, including through coordination in the international fora.