Parliamentary Vice-Minister Takeuchi Holds Meeting with H.E. Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia and Attends the Zambia-Japan Business Forum

1. Meeting between Parliamentary Vice-Minister Takeuchi and President Hichilema

Parliamentary Vice-Minister Takeuchi and Mr. Ishiguro Norihiko, Chairman of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), held a meeting with President Hichilema at JETRO, which H.E. Mr. Chipoka Mulenga, Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, and H.E. Mr. Mulambo Haimbe, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, also attended. At the meeting, Parliamentary Vice-Minister Takeuchi welcomed the visit of President Hichilema to Japan. The two sides exchanged views on the enhancement of bilateral economic ties and confirmed the two countries’ cooperation toward Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, which will open in April 2025, and the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), which will be held in August 2025.

• 
• 

2. Parliamentary Vice-Minister Takeuchi’s remarks at the forum

At the forum, Parliamentary Vice-Minister Takeuchi delivered remarks. He mentioned that Japan and Zambia signed an investment agreement on that day and stated that Japan hopes to bring together the two countries’ strengths and to encourage business development that may lead to the joint cultivation of new industries. Moreover, he shared his expectations that Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, and TICAD 9, both of which will be held in 2025, will become a vehicle to vitalize human resource exchange between Japan and Africa and to lead to enhancing economic ties.

• 
•  

3. Overview of the forum

Zambia is a resource-rich country with abundant copper, the demand for which is expected to increase as the advancement of digital transformation and decarbonization, and more and more Japanese companies have expressed an interest in the country. The forum brought together about 220 participants from about 100 Japanese companies, about 40 Zambian companies, and the public and private sectors of Japan and Zambia. At the forum, Chairman Ishiguro delivered opening remarks, President Hichilema delivered a keynote speech, and Parliamentary Vice-Minister Takeuchi, Ms. Eri Arfiya, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Minister Mulenga each delivered remarks.

Representatives of Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. each made a presentation on their activities in Zambia and future prospects, while, from the Zambian side, the Director General of the Zambia Development Agency and representatives of the private sector each delivered a speech and made a presentation on the outline of their current activities and their expectations for Japan. Following this, a networking event was held among participants.

• President Hichilema holding a keynote speech
• Minister Mulenga delivering remarks
• A scene from the forum

Division in Charge

Africa Office, Middle East and Africa Division, Trade Policy Bureau