Minister Muto Co-Chairs the Third Meeting of the Japan Business Council for Africa

1. The third meeting of the Japan Business Council for Africa (JBCA)

The third meeting of JBCA was held with the participation of Mr. Muto Yoji, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry; Mr. Fujii Hisayuki, State Minister for Foreign Affairs; Mr. Ohashi Tetsuji and Mr. Karube Jun, Chairs of Committee on Africa, Keidanren (Japan Business Federation); Mr. Iwai Mutsuo, Chairperson of the Board, Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives); Mr. Ishiguro Norihiko, Chairman and CEO, Japan External Trade Organization; and approximately 200 stakeholders from the public and private sectors who are interested in promoting business in Africa. The importance of public-private partnership for TICAD 9, which will be held in August 2025, was confirmed at the meeting. Minister Muto made a presentation on METI’s initiatives for TICAD 9.

2. Recommendations delivered from related business communities

Prior to the meeting, Mr. Ohashi Tetsuji and Mr. Karube Jun, Chairs of Committee on Africa, Keidanren and Mr. Iwai Mutsuo, Chairperson of the Board, Keizai Doyukai, delivered the private sector recommendations for TICAD 9 to Minister Muto.

(Reference 1) Japan Business Council for Africa (JBCA)

Based on the TICAD 7 Public-Private Roundtable Meeting Recommendations by the Japanese Private Sector adopted at the TICAD Public-Private Roundtable Meeting (March 18, 2019), JBCA was launched in June 2019 as a permanent committee comprised of Japanese companies, relevant Japanese ministries and agencies, and government-related organizations. 
JBCA is co-chaired by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry; the Minister for Foreign Affairs; the Chair of the Committee on Africa, Keidanren; the Vice Chairperson of Keizai Doyukai; and the Chairman and CEO, Japan External Trade Organization.
The JBCA collects information on urgent issues and proposals regarding expanding businesses in Africa from private companies and organizations. Based on the information and proposals, relevant ministries and agencies and government-related organizations consider and implement additional, stronger support measures.

(Reference 2) TICAD

TICAD stands for Tokyo International Conference on African Development. The Government of Japan took the initiative to launch TICAD in 1993 and organizes it jointly with the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and the African Union Commission (AUC). TICAD 9 will be held from August 20 to 22, 2025 in Yokohama.

Related links (in Japanese)

• Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s African policy website
• Japan Business Council for Africa (JBCA)
• Keidanren’s recommendation
• Japan Association of Corporate Executives’ recommendation

Division in Charge

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