Deputy President Paul Mashatile Visits Japan

The cooperative relationship between Japan and South Africa spans many decades. The recent visit to Japan by the Deputy President Paul Mashatile and his delegation was a testament to this.

Deputy President Mashatile visited Japan on the 17th of March 2025. He was accompanied by other government officials, the Minister of the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition, Mr. Parks Tau, Minister of the Department of Agriculture, Mr. John Steenhuisen, and the Deputy Minister of the Department of International Relations, Ms. Thandi Moraka. The visit comes after the Japanese government extended an invitation to the South African government to cement diplomatic relations between the two countries and explore new collaboration.

For years, South Africa and Japan have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship, economically. This sentiment was echoed in Minister Tau’s comments, “Japan is one of our key economic partners and has already invested heavily in the South African economy, with the potential for additional investments”. This speaks to the Japanese companies’ presence in South Africa in industries such as manufacturing, mining, energy, and automotive. As a result of these investments, thousands of jobs have been created. He also touched on how important it is for South African businesses to have better access to Japanese markets for agricultural produce.

On March 18, the South African delegation paid a courtesy call to the Japanese Prime Minister, Ishiba Shigeru, and met with the Chief Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Yoshimasa Hayashi. Prime Minister Ishiba conveyed intentions for Japan to work closely with South Africa on free and open trade in the Indo-Pacific region. He added that the two states need to work together in resolving various international issues that are currently happening. Moreover, Prime Minister Shigeru committed to the cooperation of both countries on two events, TICAD9 which is happening this August, and the G20 Summit happening in November. South Africa currently holds the G20 presidency.

Chief Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Hayashi, then requested continued support from the South African government by improving and maintaining an investment-friendly and stable business environment.

On March 19, the Deputy President and his delegation joined a roundtable discussion that was co-organised by JETRO and the Japan Institute of Energy and Metal National Corporation (JOGMEC). It was centred around the trade and investment relationship between the two countries. The Deputy President expressed his expectation for TICDA9 which includes Japanese companies seizing investment opportunities in South Africa and the rest of Africa, in anticipation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), as it will provide diverse opportunities for Japanese businesses.

The roundtable discussion had a session where executives from the automobile, energy, and mineral resource industries relayed their hopes for business opportunities in South Africa. They also conveyed some of the challenges faced when doing business in the country. The executives stressed that their companies need reliable energy supply and the improvement of logistics infrastructure, like railways and ports.

Hopefully, the positive interactions that transpired during this visit bring tangible and sustainable results for business and other relations between the two countries.