August 24, 2025 — The Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) wrapped up in Yokohama with the adoption of the Yokohama Declaration, a landmark pact reaffirming Japan’s long-term commitment to strengthening ties with Africa across trade, governance, climate resilience, and human development.
The declaration was jointly endorsed on August 22 by Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and leaders of 49 African nations, alongside representatives of major international organizations, at the close of the three-day summit.
According to the communique, Japan and Africa pledged to reinforce multilateral trade, accelerate economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and improve industrial connectivity through infrastructure and value-chain development. The pact also emphasized expanded cooperation in healthcare, education, and youth entrepreneurship, particularly in technology-driven industries.
On climate and energy, the declaration underscored the urgency of financing Africa’s green transition, with commitments to renewable energy investments, climate resilience initiatives, and responsible exploitation of critical minerals vital to the global clean energy supply chain.
Prime Minister Ishiba hailed TICAD9 as “a pivotal opportunity to define the partnership between Japan and Africa for the coming 30 years,” stressing that the newly introduced concept of an Indian Ocean–Africa Economic Zone would open broader trade and investment corridors linking Africa with the wider Indo-Pacific region
