The Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Ghana, Honourable Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on Thursday, 15th January 2026 held a meeting with the State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Her Excellency Dr. Kunimitsu Ayano who is on a Working Visit to Ghana.
The State Minister is accompanied by a business delegation made up of thirty-five (35) companies from Japan. This is expected to boost the relations between the private sectors of the two countries to promote trade and investment for mutual benefit.
The Minister commended Japan for its long-standing partnership with Ghana and the resilience demonstrated by Japanese companies during Ghana’s recent economic challenges.
He informed of the improvement of Ghana’s macroeconomic outlook, citing currency stabilisation, declining inflation and progress made under the IMF programme.
He stated that the developments present an opportunity for investment, especially as the Government pursues value addition, industrialisation and export-led growth.
He noted the export of cocoa from Ghana to Japan and reaffirmed Government’s commitment to revitalising cocoa production through farm rehabilitation, extension services and productivity enhancement to sustain supply and quality.
Upcoming milestone anniversaries in 2027 were discussed and both sides noted that it would be an opportunity to further strengthen Ghana and Japan relations. These anniversaries are the 100th Anniversary of Dr. Hideyo Noguchi’s arrival and work in Ghana, the 50th Anniversary of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) programme in Ghana and the 70th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ghana and Japan. Both sides agreed that these milestones should be used to highlight the longstanding cooperation between the two countries and also explore new avenues for collaboration.
In her remarks, Dr. Kunimitsu Ayano expressed appreciation for the warm reception and highlighted the deep historical ties between Ghana and Japan.
She referenced the enduring legacy of Dr. Hideyo Noguchi in Ghana, noting its significance in strengthening people-to-people relations between the two countries. She welcomed Ghana’s ongoing economic recovery and reform efforts, while emphasising the importance of a predictable and investor-friendly business environment for Japanese companies operating in Ghana.
The Chief Executive Officer of Axelspace, Mr. Yuya Nakamura reaffirmed the cordial relations between the two countries and expressed the private sector’s interest in Ghana’s development agenda.
He highlighted opportunities for cooperation in emerging technologies, noting that partnerships in areas such as space technology could support national development objectives, particularly in agriculture, climate resilience and public service delivery.
In his concluding remarks, Honourable Okudzeto Ablakwa assured of Government’s commitment to science, technology and innovation as key drivers of development and noted that sustained dialogue and cooperation would further strengthen the Ghana–Japan partnership.
Present at the meeting were the Director of the First Africa Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr. Taro Kawase, and the Ambassador of Japan to Ghana, His Excellency Hiroshi Yoshimoto.
Credit: Ministry of Foreign affairs
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