Online Reporter
ZIMBABWE will take centre stage on Wednesday at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, where the country will showcase its vast investment opportunities, cultural heritage and tourism potential. President Mnangagwa is expected to headline activities marking Zimbabwe’s National Day at the prestigious global event. In the lead-up to Zimbabwe’s National Day at the expo, our reporter DEBRA MATABVU interviewed Japan’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe MR SHINICHI YAMANAKA, who reflected on the deepening diplomatic and economic relations between Harare and Tokyo. He also shared insights into Zimbabwe’s planned presentations at the expo and the opportunities the event offers for strengthening bilateral cooperation.
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Q: How would you characterise the current state of diplomatic relations between Japan and Zimbabwe and in what ways have these ties evolved in recent years?
A: Japan and Zimbabwe have enjoyed cordial relations.
This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between our two countries, a significant milestone in our relationship.
I hope that our friendly relations will further develop in a wide range of fields through the Osaka Expo and also Tokyo International Conference for African Development 9 (TICAD 9), which will be held this August.
Q: What are the key pillars of cooperation between Japan and Zimbabwe today, and how do they align with Zimbabwe’s development priorities?
A: The basic philosophy of Japan’s development cooperation is to support the country’s own efforts.
In Zimbabwe, our goal is to support the country’s own efforts for social and economic development, in line with National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and Vision 2030.
We are especially focusing on socio-economic infrastructure, human security, human resource development and food security.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is playing a key role in the implementation of these development projects.
Q: Japan has long been regarded as a reliable development partner for Zimbabwe. Could you share some of the most recent or impactful projects supported by Japan, particularly in the areas of health, education and infrastructure?
A: For infrastructure development, Japan has provided US$17,4 million for the second phase of the North-South Corridor road rehabilitation project.
This project aims to widen climbing lanes and sharp curves along a 7,8km stretch of road between Makuti and Chirundu in Mashonaland West province.
This second phase is expected to be completed early 2026.
The North-South Corridor plays a vital role in logistics, linking major ports in South Africa and Mozambique with landlocked countries such as Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Therefore, this project will improve trade and connectivity in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, boost economic growth and foster prosperity along the corridors.
In the health sector, Japan provided medical equipment and second-hand ambulances to hospitals and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
JICA also supports the improvement of medical services at hospitals through the “Quality Improvement of Health Service Through 5S-Kaizen-TQM approach”.
In the education sector, the Japanese government and JICA provide scholarship programmes, and many Zimbabwean students have taken the opportunity to study at Japanese universities.
Japan has also been contributing for many years towards improving the educational environment for children by the construction of school buildings and teacher accommodation in rural areas through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects and the Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects funds.
We are going to continue and expand our development cooperation to contribute towards Zimbabwe’s sustainable development not only in infrastructure, health and education, but also agriculture, food security, gender, landmine clearance, and this contributes towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Q: We understand that Japan is supporting Zimbabwe in the development of New Rice for Africa (Nerica) varieties. Could you elaborate on this collaboration and its potential to enhance Zimbabwe’s food security and agricultural resilience?
A: We have started our support for the expansion of Nerica rice production in Zimbabwe. Nerica stands for New Rice for Africa.
It is a kind of rice made through crossing African rice, which is resistant to disease and drought, with Asian rice, which has a high yield.
When the First Lady (Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa) visited Japan in 2022, she met a leading expert on Nerica rice, Dr (Tatsushi) Tsuboi, and invited him to Zimbabwe.
Dr Tsuboi and other Japanese experts conducted a survey of the country’s potential for rice production and provided trainings on how to plant Nerica to researchers, officers, agricultural colleges and farmers.
Nerica was planted on an experimental basis at agricultural research stations and some demonstration sites.
JICA is working with farmers to expand production capacity in terms of volume and productivity, and currently there are 28 Nerica rice producing sites in several provinces in Zimbabwe.
Nerica rice is suitable for Zimbabwe’s climate and grows very well.
Seed production has also gradually expanded. JICA is also working on mechanisation research for post-harvest processing.
Q: Could you provide an overview of current trade volumes between Japan and Zimbabwe? Which sectors are showing the greatest potential for growth or diversification?
A: In 2024, imports from Japan reached around US$60 million, which is the highest in the past 25 years. Imported products were mainly vehicles and machineries.
Exports to Japan in 2024 amounted to about US$20 million.
The main products were leaf tobacco, cotton and mineral resources such as platinum, ferrochrome and manganese.
Trade volume remains at one-seventh or one-eighth of the peak level before the 2008 economic crisis.
In the 1990s, Zimbabwe’s exports to Japan were above US$150 million per year.
However, let me take this opportunity to acknowledge some positive developments in recent years. Japanese companies are getting interested in agricultural and mining products in Zimbabwe.
For example, the export of sesame from Zimbabwe to Japan started recently.
Sesame has a good potential since it is important for Japanese food, including sesame oil. Another positive development was the resumption of petalite exports to Japan after two years.
Zimbabwean petalite is essential in the production of traditional earthenware pots in Japan. Coffee export to Japan also resumed after 20 years.
Given these developments, it is evident that business activities between Zimbabwe and Japan are expanding gradually and steadily.
Q: What are Japan’s strategic interests in Zimbabwe’s economy, and are there ongoing efforts to encourage greater Japanese investment, particularly in infrastructure, energy, technology or agribusiness?
A: Let me also highlight a potential area for business, which is in software development through utilising Zimbabwe’s human resources, in collaboration with Japanese IT (information technology) and venture business companies.
These companies have advanced unique technologies and their decision-making is quick and flexible.
For example, an IT company called Pegara Japan is contributing towards food security in Zimbabwe by using their AI (artificial intelligence) technology and drones to drive away harmful birds called quelea that cause damage to crops.
Some Japanese companies are also getting interested in training and employing young talented Zimbabweans since they appreciate their high ability and work ethic, in addition to similarities in characters between our two nations.
However, to expand investment and other business opportunities significantly in Zimbabwe, it is important to accelerate the current process of economic reform and to improve infrastructure such as electricity, water supply and road transport.
Q: From your perspective, how can Zimbabwean businesses better access the Japanese market? Is the Japanese government offering any specific trade facilitation support or capacity-building initiatives for exporters from Zimbabwe?
A: The Japanese government, in cooperation with the World Food Programme (WFP), local NGOs and Itochu Corporation, has launched an initiative to support sesame production by smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe in order to expand exports to Japan.
This project supports sesame cultivation to enable smallholder farmers to practise market-oriented agriculture.
Most of the sesame will be processed into sesame products such as sesame oil and sesame paste, which are essential ingredients in Japanese cuisine.
Itochu Corporation will conduct research and provide advice on the quality of sesame and logistics necessary for access to global markets, supporting sesame exports to Japan.
Q: The 2025 World Expo in Osaka is being held under the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”. What does this theme represent, and how is Japan hoping it will shape global conversations on sustainable development and innovation?
A: The expo will not be limited to introducing the latest cutting-edge products and technologies to expand businesses, but it will also provide an opportunity to brainstorm on how to solve issues facing the international community, such as climate change and
poverty, how to achieve the SDGs, and how to build a brighter future for the next
generation.
In direct relation to Japan, we have problems of low birth rates and an ageing population.
The expo will be a good occasion to find some solutions and references for us.
Q: What role is Japan expecting African countries, particularly Zimbabwe, to play at the expo?
A: The expo is a very good opportunity to show the presence of Zimbabwe and let participants from all over the world get more information about this beautiful country.
The expo will also be a good platform for both Zimbabwean and Japanese companies to realise new opportunities for business and to find suitable partners for collaboration, and for an expansion of tourism, cultural exchange and people-to-people exchange.
The number of tourists from Japan who visit Victoria Falls is estimated at more than 10 000 annually. There is a very good opportunity of increasing the number of Japanese tourist arrivals and also to lengthen their stay in the country.
Zimbabwe has a lot of tourist attractions and friendly people with warm hospitality.
I would also like many Zimbabweans to visit Japan.
Visiting and experiencing are the most effective means for mutual understanding and appreciation.
Cultural exchange is also important for mutual understanding.
For example, Shona sculpture and the musical instrument — mbira — can become popular among Japanese people.
For reference, in Zimbabwe, Japanese pop culture such as anime, manga, cosplay and gaming are getting popular.
People-to-people exchange is important for strengthening the relations between our two countries.
Many Zimbabweans are working as English teachers in Japanese schools.
Around 25 Zimbabwean students are in Japan each year on scholarships from the Japanese government and JICA.
On the other hand, young volunteers from Japan play important roles as sport and physical education teachers, and staff for tourism, marketing and community development in Zimbabwe.
I have found a lot of similarity in character and behaviour between Zimbabweans and the Japanese.
They are polite, gentle, peaceful and accommodative.
Therefore, both nations can easily understand each other. I would like to further broaden relations between our two countries in the areas of business, tourism, development cooperation, people-to-people and cultural exchanges.
Zimbabwe and Japan have beautiful nature and wonderful people with similar characteristics.
Zimbabwe also has a lot of potential, especially in agriculture, mining, tourism and human resources.
I would like to leverage the occasion of the Osaka expo to strengthen the comprehensive partnership and promote mutual understanding between Zimbabwe and Japan.
Tinaye Agere
Online Reporter