1 December 2006
South African Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will on Saturday, 2
December 2006, depart for Tokyo, Japan where she is scheduled to pay an
official visit and hold bilateral discussions with her counterpart Foreign
Minister Taro Aso scheduled from Monday to Wednesday, 4 to 6 December 2006.
Minister Dlamini will pay an official visit to Japan within the context of
South Africa's commitment to consolidate North-South relations, with a view to
pushing back the frontiers of poverty and underdevelopment.
Discussions between Foreign Ministers Dlamini Zuma and Taro Aso are expected
to include, among others:
* the status of bilateral political and economic relations between both
countries
* regional issues in Africa and the Japanese sub-region
* Japanese support for the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South
Africa (AsgiSA) and the Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition
(JIPSA) driven training programmes
* areas of trilateral co-operation
* developments in the Tokyo International Conference on African Development
(TICAD) process. TICAD IV will take place in 2008 and regional preparatory
meetings, as well as an African ministerial meeting on Energy and Environment,
are envisaged for early 2007 in Kenya
* multilateral issues including nuclear disarmament, the comprehensive reform
of the United Nations and South Africa's accession to the non-permanent seat on
the United Nations Security Council.
Japan's economic policy toward African development taken in its entirety is
directed within the TICAD process which was first held in 1993. TICAD enjoys
the support of co-organisers, namely the Government of Japan, the Global
Coalition for Africa (GCA), and the United Nations Office of the Special
Advisor on Africa (UN-OSAA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
and the World Bank (WB). TICAD is committed to create synergy between its own
agenda and New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and the UNDP has
made substantial contributions to NEPAD already.
Its three pillars are:
* consolidation of peace
* human-centred development
* poverty reduction through economic growth.
TICAD has led to the implementation of projects aimed at increasing African
human resource capacity, infrastructure development and investment. In the
context of the Gleneagles Group of Eight (G8) summit held in July 2005, Prime
Minister Koizumi committed Japan to holding TICAD IV in 2008 in an effort at
making TICAD the cornerstone of Africa-Japan relations. Japan has long
advocated the importance of ownership of the development process by Africa in
partnership with the international community.
At the Africa-Asia summit in April 2005 Japan pledged to double their
Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) to Africa in the next three years. Such
ODA will amount to 0,7% of Japan's Gross Domestic Product. Japan is of the
opinion that based on the Asian experiences, the key to African economic
development is to foster the private sector through he promotion of trade and
investment. In line with this, Japan hosted the TICAD Asia-Africa Trade and
Investment Conference in November 2004.
While in Japan Minister Dlamini Zuma is also expected to pay a courtesy call
on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, meet with the Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki,
President of the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) Mrs Ogata,
Governor of the Japan Bank for International Co-operation (JBIC) Kyosuke
Shinozawa, and Chairperson of the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO)
Osamu Watanabe.
Minister Dlamini Zuma will also hold discussions with the Secretary-General
and members of the South Africa Parliamentary Friendship League, and meet with
Japanese captains of industry.
Minister Dlamini Zuma is expected to depart from Japan on Wednesday, 6
December 2006, ahead of her visit to Washington, where she will support
President Thabo Mbeki during discussions with President George Bush of the
United States of America.
Economic bilateral relations
South Africa imports technology intensive goods from Japan, whilst exporting
raw materials and agricultural products. Key Japanese exports to South Africa
include the transport, especially automobiles, and machinery, especially
electrical machinery, sectors. Key South African exports include base metals,
notably Ferro-alloys, non-ferrous metals, and intermediate iron and steel
products. Since 2000 and 2001 onwards vehicle exports from South Africa, the
BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C Class, became the first value-added products to be
registered amongst our key exports to Japan.
In 2005 key Japanese exports to South Africa include original equipment for
motor vehicles, especially automobiles, machinery, and electrical consumer
goods sectors. Key South African exports include vehicles, base metals, notably
Ferro-alloys, non-ferrous metals, and intermediate iron and steel products.
Investments (Foreign Direct Investment)
Prior to 1994, there were no foreign direct Japanese investments in South
Africa. However, since 1994, there have been over 42 major investments in South
Africa by Japanese companies, amounting to more than US$1 billion.
The following is a list of Japanese companies that have invested in South
Africa:
* Bridgestone Corporation
* Cataler Corporation
* Itochu Corporation
* Japan Metals and Chemicals
* Japan Metals and Chemicals (JMC)\Mitsui
* Komatsu
* Marubeni Corporation
* Mitsubishi Corporation
* Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
* Mitsu and Company, Limited (Ltd)
* NGK Insulators, Ltd
* Nissan Motor Co, Ltd
* Nissan Diesel Motor Co
* Nippon Denko Co, Ltd
* Nisshin Steel Co, Ltd
* Showa Denko
* Sumitomo Corporation
* Sojitz Corporation
* Toyota Motor Corporation.
Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA)
There are indications that Japan is considering adapting its ODA programme
for South Africa to AsgiSA. The proposal, if accepted will be based on three
pillars:
* focus on the second economy to empower the people
* Human Resource Development including assistance to the newly established
JIPSA
* Trilateral co-operation.
Enquiries:
Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 990 4853
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
1 December 2006
