South Africa seeks to deepen trade and investment cooperation with Japan, with a focus on export diversification and new cooperation in the energy and defense sectors.
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola made the comments during bilateral talks with his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi in Pretoria on Tuesday, May 5.
Lamola said the two countries are celebrating 116 years of diplomatic relations with cooperation expanding in many areas. He highlighted recent high-level engagements, including the visit of Vice President Paul Mashatile and President Cyril Ramaphosa, as well as participation in the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD).
He said South Africa is prioritizing Asia as a strategic region to broaden trade partnerships, particularly by increasing agricultural and agro-processing exports to Japanese and broader Asian markets.
Japan remains a major investor in South Africa's economy, with Lamola citing Toyota's recent R10.4 billion investment pledge at the sixth South African Investment Conference to support the shift towards new energy vehicles.
Beyond traditional areas, the minister pointed to emerging opportunities in defense cooperation following talks between industry players from the two countries in September 2025, and expressed confidence that these discussions will translate into concrete partnerships.
The talks, held against a backdrop of global economic uncertainty, also focused on energy, security and critical minerals, while reaffirming Japan's investment commitments under TICAD and a shared vision for Africa's development in line with Agenda 2063.