President Ramaphosa Arrives in Japan for TICAD9 Summit

Tuesday, 19 August 2025

Yokohama, Japan — President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in Japan today to lead South Africa’s high-level delegation at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), set to take place in Yokohama from 20 to 22 August 2025.

The summit, convened under the theme “Co-creating Innovative Solutions with Africa”, will focus on three key plenary sessions:

Society: Realizing a sustainable future

Economy: Promoting trade and investment

Peace and stability: Ensuring human dignity and human security

This year’s TICAD9 comes against the backdrop of mounting global challenges, including conflicts in various regions, rising fuel and food prices, disruptions in trade, and growing inequality in developing nations. For Africa in particular, the debt and liquidity crisis continues to strain public finances, limiting governments’ ability to shield their citizens from hardship.

The summit provides a crucial platform for the African Union and Japan to deepen cooperation and explore collective solutions to these shared challenges.

South Africa’s Priorities

President Ramaphosa will use the summit to advance South Africa’s priorities within the AU framework, particularly seeking Japan’s support for the Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan (STYIP) of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. Key areas of focus include infrastructure development, peace and security, and health.

As South Africa currently holds the Presidency of the G20, Ramaphosa is also expected to highlight Africa’s role in shaping multilateral solutions to global crises and to pursue bilateral economic engagements with Japan to strengthen trade and investment ties.

Strengthening Bilateral Relations

The year 2025 marks 115 years of relations between South Africa and Japan. Since the establishment of full diplomatic relations in 1992, the two nations have built strong ties in trade, investment, science, technology, education, and skills transfer.

Japan remains one of South Africa’s most significant economic partners:

Over R90 billion in Japanese investments sustain more than 150,000 local jobs.

260 Japanese companies operate in South Africa.

Bilateral trade in 2024 totaled R132 billion, with South Africa recording a R52 billion trade surplus.

Japan is the world’s fourth-largest economy and a key market for South African exports.

President Ramaphosa will also hold engagements with Japanese industry leaders and business executives, with a South African business delegation participating alongside government.

Championing Global Health

On the margins of TICAD9, in his role as Chair of the Global Leader’s Network for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health, Ramaphosa will deliver a keynote address to parliamentarians, business leaders, and development partners. His address will emphasize the importance of investing in women’s, children’s, and adolescent health as a cornerstone for sustainable peace and security.

Accompanying Delegation

The President is joined by a high-level delegation, including:

Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola

Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology, Dr Bonginkosi Nzimande

Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau

Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa

Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla