Zambia Celebrates Sixty Years of Diplomacy with Japan

On 14th May, State House hosted His Excellency Mr. Takeuchi Kazuyuki, Ambassador of Japan to enhance the diplomatic bond between the two countries. The visit came at a poignant time, as it marks a sixty year anniversary of the establishment of diplomacy between Japan and Zambia.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), President Hakainde Hichilema said, “Today we hosted Japanese envoy, H.E Mr. Takeuchi Kazuyuki to discuss building on this firm foundation through JVs in areas such as mining, agric, energy & tourism for the mutual benefit of our people.”

In March 2023, Mr. Takeuchi Kazuyuki signed three, three-year contracts with the government of Zambia for social development projects conducted by Japanese NGOs.

The first is a Tuberculosis control project run by the Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association, which renovates X-Ray departments, provides training and education, and supports data management to help reduce the number of tuberculosis caused deaths in Zambia.

The second is an education project, constructing a secondary school and improving access to education.

The third, run by the Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning is working on the prevention of gender-based violence, raising awareness of gender equality. It aims to improve sexual and reproductive health and promote gender equality in the project area.

The sixty-year anniversary of diplomacy with Japan is an important milestone for Zambia, and its longevity is an indication of the future relations to come.