MINISTRY of Foreign Affairs of Japan Director General, African Affairs Department Toshihiko Horiuchi says a bilateral investment agreement is underway between Zambia and Japan with an objective of boosting investments between the two countries.
Mr Horiuchi said Zambia is a country endowed with critical mineral resources such as copper.
In a speech read on his behalf by Deputy Director African Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kenichiro Matsubayashi during the Zambia’s 59th Independence Reception in Tokyo, Mr Horiuchi said the Japanese government will accelerate the negotiation process towards an early conclusion of the agreement.
He said the Japanese government is further willing to further collaborate in various sectors of the economy.
“As we all know, our two nations share a unique memory about Zambia’s independence.Zambia’s independence was officially achieved just 10 hours before the closing ceremony of the first Olympic Games hosted by Japan on October 24th 1964”, he said.
He added that the Zambian National flag was raised for the first time before international audience by its national team carrying a signboard reading ‘Zambia’, which represented the beginning of close relations between Japan and Zambia.
Speaking at the same event, Zambia’s Ambassador to Japan Dr Tobias Mulimbika said Zambia is committed to the promotion of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in areas such as mining, agriculture, rnergy, health among others.
Ambassador Mulimbika urged Japanese mining companies to consider taking advantage of the cooperation to invest in Zambia in the field of exploration of minerals essential for electric vehicles and other products as the country is endowed with critical minerals such as cobalt, nickel, copper, lithium, gold among others.
The Ambassador said Zambia is centrally located in Southern Africa surrounded by many neighbouring countries with important road corridors traversing through Zambia.
He said this facilitates easy transportation of goods for both exports and imports into the mining industry.
“Zambia is committed to further strengthening bilateral relations with Japan in the diversification of the supply system in critical resources to eventually meet the country’s goals through joint investments,” he said.
This is according to a statement issued by First Secretary Press and Public Relations at the Embassy of the Republic of Zambia in Tokyo, Japan Faith Chilube.
