Japan-Morocco Relations
Japan-Morocco Relations (Basic Data)
April 24, 2025
Basic Data
Diplomatic Relations:
- Established in 1956 with the recognition of Morocco's independence
- 1961 Japanese Embassy opened in Morocco
- 1965 Moroccan Embassy opened in Japan
Bilateral Treaties and Agreement:
- 1960 Trading Arrangement
- 1985 Fisheries Agreement
- 2020 Investment Agreement
- 2020 Tax Convention
Number of Residents:
- Number of Japanese Nationals residing in Morocco: 422 (October 2024)
- Number of Moroccan Nationals residing in Japan: 764 (June 2024)
Economic Relations
Trade with Japan:
- Imports from Japan: 47.0 billion JPN (2024) (machinery and transport equipment, automobiles)
- Exports to Japan: 49.5 billion JPN (2024) (foodstuffs, seafood)
Other Economic Relations:
- The Moroccan Embassy in Japan hosts the Morocco business seminars approximately every year in Tokyo as well as other local cities, in cooperation with JICA, JETRO, UNIDO and JCCME (Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East). In addition, in 2023, JETRO held the "Japan-Morocco Business Forum" in Casablanca, Morocco. Co-organized by the Ministry of Investment, Public Policy Integration and Evaluation, the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Trade Development (AMDIE), and the Moroccan Federation of Economic Organizations (CGEM), the event was attended by approximately 200 participants from the public and private sectors of the two countries.
Japan's Economic Cooperation:
- Loans: 354.449 billion yen (List of Exchange of Notes)
- Grants: 37.937 billion yen (List of Exchange of Notes)
- Technical Cooperation: 41.996 billion yen
- (note) Cumulative total as of November 2023
(a) Japan has provided support in the form of loan aid, grant aid and technical cooperation. The focused fields are 1) enhancing competitive economy and sustainable economic growth especially through strengthening infrastructure, agriculture and aquaculture and human capacity development and 2) easing economic and social disparities between urban and local areas through improving education and public health.
(b) Recent Major Projects:
Economic and Social Development Programme (For printing machines, 2019),
Economic and Social Development Programme (For medical equipment, 2020),
COVID-19 Response Support Program Loan (2020),
Development Policy Loan for the Improvement of Learning Environment of Basic Education (2022),
Development Policy Loan for Universal Health Coverage (2024),
Project for the Development of the New Generation Fishing Port at Souiria K’dima (2025)
Cultural Exchange:
- (a) Receiving Moroccan students to study in Japan as Japanese governmental scholars every year
- (b) Japanese language courses are offered at four institutions, including Mohammed V University, and six institutions in the private sector.
Friendship League:
- Japan-Morocco Parliamentary Friendship League
- Morocco-Japan Parliamentary Friendship League
- Japan-Morocco Association
- Morocco-Japan Friendship Association
VIP Visits
| Year | Name |
|---|---|
| 2009 | Mr. Koichi TAKEMASA, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ms. Akiko SANTO, Vice President of the House of Councillors |
| 2010 | Ms. Yasue FUNAYAMA, Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries |
| 2012 | Mr. Koichiro GEMBA, Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Kazuyuki HAMADA, Parliamentay Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Hiroyuki ISHIGE, Director of JETRO |
| 2013 | Mr. Kenji KOSAKA, President of the Morocco-Japan Parliamentary Friendship League Mr. Shunichi YAMAGUCHI, Vice-Minister for Finance |
| 2014 | Mr. Nobuo KISHI, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Akihiko TANAKA, President of JICA Mr. Hiroyuki ISHIGE, Chairman & CEO of JETRO |
| 2015 | Mr. Kentaro SONOURA, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs |
| 2016 | Mr. Yoshio HAYASHI, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Mr. Yoji Muto, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Motome TAKISAWA, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Koichi YAMAMOTO, Minister of the Environrmrnt |
| 2017 | Mr. Chuichi DATE, Speaker of the House of Counsilors Mr. Shinichi KITAOKA, President of JICA Mr. Shunsuke TAKEI, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Hirofumi NAKASONE, President of the Morocco-Japan Parliamentary Friendship Association Mr. Masahisa SATO, State Minister for Foreign Affairs |
| 2018 January | Mr. Takao MAKINO, State Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism |
| 2018 June | Mr. Tadahiko ITO, State Minister of the Enviroment (the 1st Annual Meeting of the African Clean Cities Platform) |
| 2018 October | Mr. Susumu HAMAMURA, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Second OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) global conference on antimicrobial resistance and prudent use of antimicrobial agents in animals) |
| 2018 December | Mr. Norikazu SUZUKI, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs(The Intergovernmental Conference to Adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration) |
| 2018 December | Mr. Taro KONO, Minister for Foreign Affairs |
| 2019 September | Japan-Morocco Parliamentary Friendship League -Mr. Hirofumi NAKASONE, President of the League, Member of the House of Counsellors -Mr. Yuichiro HATA, Secretary-General of the League, Member of the House of Counsellors -Mr. Yosuke TSURUHO, Member of the House of Counsellors -Ms. Masako MORI, Member of the House of Counsellors -Mr. Takeyuki WATANABE, Member of the House of Counsellors (official visit organized by the House of Counsellors of Morocco) Mr. Teruhiko MASHIKO, Member of the House of Counsellors Mr. Yoshinori SUEMATSU, Member of the House of Counsellors (Arab and Asian Parliamentarians’ Meeting and Study Visit on Population and Development for ICPD+25) |
| 2020 January | Mr. Keisuke SUZUKI, State Minister for Foreign Affairs(The 5th Japan-Morocco Joint Committee) |
| 2020 February | Mr. Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shinichi NAKATANI (The Public and Private Sector Joint Mission for Promoting Trade and Investment in Africa) |
| 2022 May | Senior Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Arata TAKEBE |
| 2022 June | State Minister of Finance, Satoshi OIE |
| 2022 December | Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kenji YAMADA |
| 2022 February | CEO & Chairman of JETRO, Nobuhiko SASAKi |
| 2023 October | Minister of Finance Shunichi SUZUKI |
| Year | Name |
|---|---|
| 2005 | Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Salma, Crown Prince Moulay Hassan Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Amina Mr. Fathallah OUALALOU, Minister of Finance and Economy His Majesty the King Mohamed VI (State visit: November) |
| 2006 | Mr. Mohamed LAENSER, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Sea FisheriesMr. Mohamed BENAISSA, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Mr. Mohammed BOUSSAÏD, Minister for Public Sector Modernization |
| 2008 | Mr. Abbas EL FASSI, Prime Minister(TICAD IV) Mr. Ahmed Reda CHAMI, Minister of Industry, Trade and New Technologies Ms. Amina BENKHADRA, Minister of Energy, Mine, Water and Environment |
| 2010 | Mr. Aziz AKHENOUCH, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Maritime Fisheries |
| 2012 | Mr. Saad Dine EL OTMANI, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Mr. Nizar BARAKA, Minister of Economy and Finance |
| 2013 | Mr. Saad Dine EL OTMANI, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Mr. Mohamed Najib BOULIF, Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of General Affairs and Governance Mr. Abdelkader AMARA, Minister of Industry, Trade and New Technologies Ms. Mbarka BOUAIDA, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Mr. Mamoun BOUHADHOUD, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Industry , Trade , investment and the Digital Economy for SMEs and the integration of the informal sector |
| 2014 | Mr. Aziz RABBAH, Minister of Equipment, Transport and Logistics Mr. Mohamed Cheikh BIADILLAH, Chairman of the House of Councillors Mr. Aziz AKHANNOUCH, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasna |
| 2015 | Mr. Mohamed Najib BOULIF, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Infrastructure, Transport and Logistics , for Transport |
| 2016 | Mr. Moulay Hafid EL ALAMY, Minister of Industry, Trade, Investment and the Digital Economy |
| 2017 | Mr. Moulay Hafid EL ALAMY, Minister of Industry, Trade, Investment and the Digital Economy Mr. Othmane El FERDAOUS, Secretary of State to the Minisier of Industry, Trade, Investment and the Digital Economy, responsible for investment |
| 2018 February | Ms. Mbarka BOUAIDA, State Secretary for Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forest, in charge of Fisheries |
| 2018 April | Ms. Mounia Boucetta, Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation |
| 2018 May | Mr. Othmane El FERDAOUS, Secretary of State to the Minister of Industry, Investment, Trade and the Digital Economy, in charge of Investment |
| 2018 October | Mr. Mohcine JAZOULI, Minister delegate to the minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in charge of African Cooperation |
| 2018 November | Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasna (2018 Goi Peace Award Laureate) |
| 2019 June | Mr. Moulay Hafid EL ALAMY, Minister of Industry, Trade, Investment and the Digital Economy Mr. Othmane El FERDAOUS, Secretary of State to the Minister of Industry, Investment, Trade and the Digital Economy, in charge of Investment |
| 2019 August | Mr. Nasser BOURITA, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mr. Mohcine JAZOULI, Minister delegate to the minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in charge of African Cooperation (TICAD7) |
| 2019 October | His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid (Enthronement Ceremony) |
| 2019 December | Mr.Abdallah JANATI, Director General of the National Office of Food Safety |
| 2022 June | Mr. Mohcine JAZOULI, Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Investment, Convergence and Evaluation of Public Policies |
| 2022 September | Mr. Aziz Akhannouch, Head of Government |
| 2022 October | Mrs. Fatim-Zahra Ammor, Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts, and Social and Solidarity Economy |
| 2023 March | Mr. Rachid Talbi El Alami, Speaker of the house of Representatives |
| 2023 April | Mr. Riad Mezzour, Minister of Industry and Trade |
| 2023 September | Mr. Abdellatif Miraoui, Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation |
| 2024 May | Mr. Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs and African Cooperation and Moroccans Residing Abroad |
| 2024 November | Mr. Karim Zidane, Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Investment, Convergence and the Evaluation of Public Policies |