African tour for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at a press meeting in Tokyo about the upcoming G7 summit in Hiroshima. April 20, 2023. REUTERS - ISSEI KATO

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One month before the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida travels to Egypt, Ghana, Kenya and Mozambique on Saturday 29 April. The stakes of this four-country tour, a first since 2014 for a Japanese leader, are motivated by the presence of China and Russia in the struggles for influence in Africa.

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With our correspondent in Tokyo, Frédéric Charles

Fumio Kishida wants to strengthen cooperation between Africa and the G7. He invited the African Union to the Hiroshima summit rather than individual countries. At the risk of offending South Africa, accustomed to invitations as the only African member of the G20.

But Fumio Kishida's African tour of four countries in the South is mainly motivated by Japan's desire to reduce China's influence on the continent. The latter benefits from "the general diplomatic aversion of the United States in Africa", notes the business newspaper "Nikkei". "And Russia is looking to take advantage of that, too."

Enough to irritate Japan, which depends on the natural resources of the countries of the South. "Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders have visited all of Africa and South America. At this rate, we will lose to them," Fumio Kishida told his relatives.

In Mozambique, a Chinese-backed liquefied natural gas project has started production. Kenya's trade with China jumped 27% in 2022.

At the TICAD summit in Tunis last year, Japan announced $30 billion in public and private funds to Africa over three years. History to promote a more resilient economy in the face of the impact of the war in Ukraine and the food insecurity it creates in Africa.

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  • Japan
  • African Union
  • G7