Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba Delivers Opening Remarks at TICAD 9, Calls for ‘Co-Creation of Innovative Solutions’

By Takeshi Kuroiwa / Japan News Staff Writer

19:01 JST, August 20, 2025

YOKOHAMA — Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba spoke on the importance of co-creating innovative solutions for challenges facing Africa and the world, in his opening remarks at the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) on Wednesday in Yokohama.

“Japan believes in the future of Africa and will promote investment in Africa,” Ishiba said.

The Japanese government, the United Nations and the African Union Commission are among the cohosts of TICAD.

During the opening ceremony, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said, “With the world’s youngest population, abundant natural resources, and a vibrant entrepreneurial spirit, Africa is poised for progress.”

In his remarks, Ishiba said that the government and its partners will focus on three key areas: sustainable growth in the private sector; youth and women; and regional integration and connectivity within and outside the region.

In the area of sustainable growth in the private sector, Ishiba said that the government will promote initiatives for African startups and Japanese companies to jointly develop industries.

Ishiba made reference to drones being used to deliver medicines to remote islands in Nagasaki Prefecture. He said that experimental flights of the drones were conducted in Rwanda.

“Japan faces many challenges, and we would like to borrow the wisdom and strength of Africa to solve them,” Ishiba said.

In the area of youth and women, Ishiba said that the key to Africa becoming the world’s next growth center is to promote capacity building and employment for young people and women.

He said that the government will provide training for 300,000 people over the next three years. Through initiatives promoting economic growth in Africa and the development of artificial intelligence and data science human resources, the government will provide AI-related training to 30,000 industrial personnel in Africa.

Ishiba said that in addition to strengthening industrial capabilities, it is necessary to enhance cross-border regional integration and connectivity to achieve further growth in African countries.

To strengthen regional integration in Africa, Ishiba said that the government will promote the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). A committee consisting of representatives from industry, academia and government from both Japan and Africa will be established to discuss strengthening economic ties between Japan and Africa.

TICAD 9 is being held across three days until Friday. On the final day, the participants will aim to adopt the “Yokohama Declaration.”

This is the first TICAD hosted in Japan in six years, with the previous conference held in Tunisia in 2022. Representatives from 49 of the 54 African countries are expected to participate, with leaders from 33 countries scheduled to attend. Ishiba will also hold summit meetings with these countries during the conference.