The Ministry of Justice hosted a symposium during the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9).
On Thursday, 21 August 2025, the Ministry of Justice hosted a symposium titled “Strengthening Future Cooperation between African Countries and Japan in the Field of Law and Justice” as a thematic event of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) at Pacifico Yokohama.
TICAD is an international conference focusing on African development, led by the Government of Japan since 1993, and co-hosted by the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank, and the African Union Commission (AUC). This year marked the ninth conference.
The Ministry of Justice has been providing legal technical assistance to promote the rule of law in Africa. Its initiatives have included international training programmes for legal professionals from African countries, as well as bilateral training with Kenya and Namibia. In the current fiscal year, the Ministry has also launched new business law training programmes for Tanzania, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria. Building on these achievements, the Ministry organized this symposium at TICAD 9 to further strengthen cooperation with African countries in the field of law and justice.
The symposium opened with remarks by Mr. TSUTSUMI Yoshiyuki, Assistant Vice-Minister of Justice of Japan, who referred to legal technical assistance as one of the central pillars of “Justice Affairs Diplomacy.” He underscored that the rule of law is indispensable for building societies where everyone can live safely and securely under the rule, and emphasized its critical role in ensuring fair, equitable, and predictable application of the law as an essential legal foundation for sustaining economic growth.
This was followed by a keynote speech from Honarable Mr. Eliakim Chacha Maswi, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs of the United Republic of Tanzania, who highlighted the importance of developing dispute resolution systems as a basis for economic development and expressed expectations for Japan’s support in improving mechanisms for alternative dispute resolution (ADR), including international arbitration and mediation in Tanzania.
In the subsequent panel discussion, experts from the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs of Tanzania, the Ministry of Interior and National Administration of Kenya, and the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security of Namibia exchanged views on how legal systems can better support Africa’s continued economic development. They also discussed technical cooperation to address the increase and complexity of crimes arising from such development, while exploring future directions and needs for support.
Mr. KAWABUCHI Takehiko, Director of the International Affairs Division, Ministry of Justice of Japan, concluded the symposium by expressing his hope to further deepen cooperation between Africa and Japan through continued legal technical assistance.
TICAD is an international conference focusing on African development, led by the Government of Japan since 1993, and co-hosted by the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank, and the African Union Commission (AUC). This year marked the ninth conference.
The Ministry of Justice has been providing legal technical assistance to promote the rule of law in Africa. Its initiatives have included international training programmes for legal professionals from African countries, as well as bilateral training with Kenya and Namibia. In the current fiscal year, the Ministry has also launched new business law training programmes for Tanzania, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria. Building on these achievements, the Ministry organized this symposium at TICAD 9 to further strengthen cooperation with African countries in the field of law and justice.
The symposium opened with remarks by Mr. TSUTSUMI Yoshiyuki, Assistant Vice-Minister of Justice of Japan, who referred to legal technical assistance as one of the central pillars of “Justice Affairs Diplomacy.” He underscored that the rule of law is indispensable for building societies where everyone can live safely and securely under the rule, and emphasized its critical role in ensuring fair, equitable, and predictable application of the law as an essential legal foundation for sustaining economic growth.
This was followed by a keynote speech from Honarable Mr. Eliakim Chacha Maswi, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs of the United Republic of Tanzania, who highlighted the importance of developing dispute resolution systems as a basis for economic development and expressed expectations for Japan’s support in improving mechanisms for alternative dispute resolution (ADR), including international arbitration and mediation in Tanzania.
In the subsequent panel discussion, experts from the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs of Tanzania, the Ministry of Interior and National Administration of Kenya, and the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security of Namibia exchanged views on how legal systems can better support Africa’s continued economic development. They also discussed technical cooperation to address the increase and complexity of crimes arising from such development, while exploring future directions and needs for support.
Mr. KAWABUCHI Takehiko, Director of the International Affairs Division, Ministry of Justice of Japan, concluded the symposium by expressing his hope to further deepen cooperation between Africa and Japan through continued legal technical assistance.
