Vol 1 (AAC) No 9 | JAPANAFRICA The tough trade talks after Hokkaido 6th November 2008 Aid and trade are to be discussed as Africa looks to Japan to act on protectionist farming tariffs Tokyo's careful diplomacy ahead of the Hokkaido G8 summit the 7-9 July now faces its biggest test among African states: how can Japan explain its stance at the next round...
Vol 1 (AAC) No 8 | JAPANAFRICA Here comes Hokkaido 6th November 2008 Africa policy on aid and commerce is central to Tokyo's diplomatic overhaul this year, as regional rivalries grow In many ways, the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Yokohama on 28-30 May was a dry run for Tokyo's Group of 8 summit in Hokkaido...
Vol 1 (AAC) No 8 | JAPANAFRICA The new order 6th November 2008 The times they are a-changing for Japan's bureaucrats Behind the Yokohama summit scenery, Japanese civil servants continued with their reorganisation. Key to this is the Japan International Cooperation Agency under its President, Sadako Ogata, the driving force behind the...
Vol 1 (AAC) No 8 | JAPANAFRICA Civil society tiptoes in 6th November 2008 Japanese NGOs under pressure From now on, Japan's non-governmental organisations will operate more like British NGOs such as Oxfam and Christian Aid, which manage substantial state aid funds. Local NGOs were barely represented at...
Vol 1 (AAC) No 7 | JAPANAFRICA The Yokohama summit 7th November 2008 As Tokyo plays host to African and world leaders this year, politicians try to reform the bureaucracy and boost aid again Japan is launching major changes in its diplomatic and development strategy this year, coinciding with Yokohama's hosting of the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) from...
Vol 1 (AAC) No 7 | JAPANAFRICA Slim differences among the parties 7th November 2008 How Japan's parties think about Africa, if they think about it at all Before 1998, Japanese voters would have had some difficuty in identifying any difference in Africa policy among the three main parties. The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ, Minshutu) admits that even...
Vol 1 (AAC) No 7 | JAPANAFRICA Who's who in policy and politics 7th November 2008 The Japanese figures working with Africa
Vol 1 (AAC) No 7 | JAPAN Masatu Kitera 7th November 2008 Director General of African Affairs, Japan Masato Kitera is a typical example of the dependable civil servants that Japan has assigned to its Africa projects in advance of TICAD IV, to be held in...
Vol 1 (AAC) No 6 | JAPANAFRICA Ticad Talks 7th November 2008 Japan gets read to play host With just a month to go before the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) on 28-30 May, the Japanese hosts are busily firming proposals that will both...