We Are Tomodachi Autumn 2016

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7Minister Abe’s 2014 visit to Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, and Mozambique, the first trip to Africa by a Japanese prime minister in nearly 10 years. Third, in addition to the renewed focus on private-sector investment in Africa, the government of Japan continues to contribute to development projects in individual countries. As an example, during his visit to Mozambique, Prime Minister Abe announced the provision of USD 570 million for the development of a trading corridor in that country. Japan also has been investing in Africa’s agricultural sector with particular emphasis on rice production. Another example of Japan’s contribution is assisting African countries with natural disaster preparation plans. Moreover, the prime minister announced the African Business Education Initiative for Youth (ABE Initiative), a plan that will invite 1,000 African nationals over five years to study in Japan and to work as interns in Japanese companies.　What motivates Japan’s relationship to Africa? Japan clearly sees the humanitarian needs in Africa and given its economic wealth, it could create a positive aid environment. Japan also uses TICAD as a platform to put forward a development model that derives from Japan’s own development history. Japan long has emphasized a self-help policy based on industrialization. The benefits from these policies can be shared with African countries. Moreover, the Japanese government seeks to reinforce relations with Africa at a time when other countries are making their presence felt on the continent, considered the world’s last great growth market. For their part, African countries are hoping to attract investment from diverse sources, including Japan, in order to foster sustainable growth and combat the effects of a possible slowdown in the global economy.　Japan can play a crucial role in assisting African governments towards their development goals, and TICAD represents a notable example of global collaboration and Japanese leadership focusing on African development. While Africa’s economy has been growing by around 5% annually, much of that new wealth remains under the control of African elites. For more comprehensive development, more work needs to occur with the construction of effective and efficient infrastructure, the development of a vibrant middle class, the implementation of environmental policies, and the protection of human rights and human security. The small but vocal group of Japanese civil society organizations at TICAD V highlighted this concern of expanding the view of development. For these groups, economic growth is necessary, but not sufficient in order to achieve development.　TICAD VI represents the continuity of Japanese development policy towards Africa, but also a renewed focus on what Africans themselves want. Holding this international conference in Kenya demonstrates an important shift for Japanese policy and a new opportunity to bring positive and impactful change in Africa. (Written in July 2016.)Dr. Howard LehmanDr. Howard Lehman is a professor of political science at the University of Utah. He has published many articles and two books on African development and Japanese foreign aid policy to Africa. His most recent edited book is Japan and Africa: Globalization and Foreign Aid in the 21st Century. He has been the recipient of three Fulbright Scholar awards including to Japan, where he taught at Kyushu University. He also has been a visiting scholar at Kobe University.

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