Japan-Ecuador Relations

July 23, 2026

Basic Data

Diplomatic Relations:

  • Established in August 1918 (reestablished in 1954)
  • Japanese nationals and Japanese descendants
  • Number of Japanese nationals residing in Ecuador: 327 (2025)
  • Number of Japanese descendants: no data

Trade with Japan (2025):

  • Exports: 1,666 billion yen (crude oil and crude petroleum, shrimp, frozen vegetables, bananas, cocoa beans, etc.)
  • Imports: 70.8 billion yen (Steel, automobiles, petroleum products, general machinery, chemical products, etc.)

Direct Investment from Japan:

  • Direct Investment from Japan in 2025: totaled $3.4 million.

Japan's Economic Cooperation (cumulative total as of 2023):

  • Loans: 94.4 billion yen
  • Grants: 39.5 billion yen
  • Technical cooperation: 29.5 billion yen

VIP Visits

From Japan to Ecuador (after 2001)
Year Name
2001 Governor of Tokyo ISHIHARA Shintaro
2002 Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs UETAKE Shigeo
2003 Special Envoy MURAKAMI Seiichiro to the Presidential Inauguration
2006 Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs YAMANAKA Akiko
2007 Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs ASANO Katsuhito
2008 Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs NISHIMURA Yasutoshi
2010 Vice-Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications NAITO Masamitsu (Special Envoy)
2011 Former Prime Minister ASO Taro, and the Parliamentary Delegation of the House of Representatives
2012 Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs YAMANE Ryuji
2013 Member of the House of Representative UESUGI Mitsuhiro, and others to the 124th Assembly of the IPU
Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs WAKABAYASHI Kenta (to the Presidential Inauguration)
2014 State Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications KAMIKAWA Yoko
Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Cabinet Office KAMEOKA Yoshitami
2015 Official Delegation of the House of Councillors (Head: ex Foreign Minister) (Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) NAKASONE Hirofumi)
2016 Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs TAKEI Shunsuke
2017 Member of the House of Representatives NISHIMURA Yasutoshi (Ambassador on Special Mission)
2018 State Minister for Foreign Affairs SATO Masahisa
Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries NONAKA Atsushi
Minister of Foreign Affairs KONO Taro
2021 State Minister for Foreign Affairs UTO Takashi
2023 Minister of Foreign Affairs HAYASHI Yoshimasa
2025 Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs ERI Arfiya (Ambassador on Special Mission)
2026 State Minister for Foreign Affairs HORII Iwao
From Ecuador to Japan (after 2001)
Year Name
2002 President, Gustavo Noboa Bejarano
Minister for Commerce, Industrialization and Fishery, Richard Moss Ferreira
2008 Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Valencia
2010 President, Rafael Correa accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Integration Ricardo Patiño and others ministers
Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Miguel Calahorrano
Coordinating Minister of Strategic Sectors, Jorge Glas
Minister of Environment, Marcela Aguiñaga
2011 Vice President, Lenín Moreno
2012 Rafael Davila and other members of the Ecuador-Japan Friendship Parliamentarian's Group
2013 Minister for Environment, Lorena Tapia
2014 Minister of Strategic Sectors Coordination, Rafael Poveda
Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Esteban Albornoz
Minister of International Trade, Francisco Rivadeneira
2016 Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Fernando Yepez
2017 Secretary of Risk Management, María Alexandra Ocles Padilla
Minister of International Trade, Pablo Campana
2018 Minister of Telecomunications and Information Society Guillermo Hernando León Santacruz
President, Lenín Moreno
2021 Minister of Sports, Sebastián Palacios
2025 Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, Gabriela Sommerfeld
President, Daniel Noboa
2026 Vice Minister of Export Promotion and Investment, Ministry of Production, Roger Crespo
2026 Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Alejandro Davalos
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