Agency for Natural Resources and EnergyMETI State Minister Sugawara Visited the Republic of South Africa

State Minister Sugawara attended the African Mining INDABA in Cape Town, South Africa, which is the world's largest conference on investment in the mining business. He made a presentation on an approach to enhanced cooperation between Japan and African countries in the mineral resources field, in reference to the fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V)*2, to be held in Japan in June, 2013.

*Notes
1: The term "indaba" is a Zulu word meaning a meeting in which important issues should be discussed. This occasion was the 19th African Mining INDABA.

2. The Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) is a summit-level meeting that is organized by Japan every five years, attended by leaders from African countries. The fifth meeting will be held in Japan from June 1 to 3, 2013.

As a non-African government presentation of the African Mining INDABA, State Minister Sugawara made a speech in the face of government officials and investors, not only from African countries but also from countries outside Africa. He addressed Japan's four basic and essential policies in the area of mineral resource development and cooperation with African countries:

1. Comprehensive investment for exploration, development and improvement of surrounding infrastructure
2. Active promotion of human resource development and technology transfer
3. Supporting African countries in the field of environment and industrial safety in order to achieve sustainable development
4. Encouraging symbiosis with local communities in mine area, through building hospitals and schools, which corresponds to the philosophy represented by the word "ubuntu*" which former President Mr. Nelson Mandela used.

*Note: The term "ubuntu" refers to a philosophy in southern Africa that human beings can only exist through other people.

State Minister Sugawara had meetings with ministers of mineral resources in six African countries on the following issues:

1. Invitation to the Africa-Japan Ministerial Meeting for Resources Development, which will be held in Tokyo on May 18, 2013, and a private-sector-based business-matching event called Japan SUstainable Mining, Investment & Technology Business Forum (J-SUMIT), which will be held on May 16 and 17, immediately before the minister's meeting
2. Request to support investment projects in which Japanese companies are participated (the companies involved also attended the meetings)
3. Promotion of cooperative activities, such as development of human resources in the geological field in the Geologic Remote Sensing Center in Botswana, which is operated by the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC), and Seminar on Sustainable Development and Mine Environment, which will be held by JOGMEC after African Mining INDABA

State Minister Sugawara had meetings with the following ministers:

H.E. Mr. Manuel Francisco Queiró s, Minister of Geology and Mines, the Republic of Angola

H.E. Ms. Esperanca Laurinda Francisco Nhiuane Bias, Minister of Mineral Resources of Republic of Mozambique

H.E. Ms. Susan Shabangu, Minister of Mineral Resources of Republic of South Africa

H.E. Mr. John Bande, Minister of Mining of Republic of Malawi

H.E. Mr. Yamfwa M Mukanga, Minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development of Republic of Zambia

H.E. Ms. Tolotrandry Rajo Daniella Randriafeno, Minister of Mines of Republic of Madagascar

Meeting with H.E. Ms. Susan Shabangu, Minister of Mineral Resources, South Africa

Meeting with H.E. Ms. Esperanca Bias, Minister of Mineral Resources, Mozambique

February 12, 2013

• Mineral and Natural Resources Division & Coal Division, Natural Resources and Fuel Department, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy
• Middle East and Africa Division, Trade Policy Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry