President John Mahama and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba have reaffirmed their commitment to deepen cooperation between Ghana and Japan, with a focus on trade, investment, and cultural exchange. The two leaders met on the sidelines of TICAD 9 in Yokohama.
President Mahama underscored Ghana’s pivotal role in Japan’s cocoa supply chain, noting that the country provides nearly 70 percent of Japan’s cocoa imports. He urged Japanese companies to scale up investments in Ghana’s cocoa sector, particularly through partnerships with the Cocoa Processing Company to modernize facilities and enhance value addition.
The discussions also touched on important upcoming milestones in Ghana–Japan relations. These include the centenary of Dr. Hideyo Noguchi’s arrival in Ghana and the 50th anniversary of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) in 2027—commemorations Mahama had earlier raised with Japan’s Ambassador to Ghana, Hiroshi Yoshimoto.
