Paper short abstract:

The paper looks at how Japan, one of the major donors of African countries has been re-defining its positions on the African continent in terms of bilateral aid, triangular collaboration and multilateral development projects in a growingly interdependent world of South–South relations.

Paper long abstract:

The paper intends to look at how Japan, one of the major donors of African countries has been re-defining its positions on the African continent in terms of bilateral aid, triangular collaboration and multilateral development projects in a growingly interdependent world of South-South relations. In particular, the discussion focuses on China's expanding presence all across Africa and how that may influence Japanese pragmatic foreign policy towards the continent and Japan's involvement in African development. What are Japan's priorities in light of an increasing Sino-Japanese competition (not only in South-East-Asia) as Japan approaches the fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V) to be held early June in Yokohama? How does Japan go along with its confident way of inclusive development in African societies when at the same time it is challenged by China and other emerging actors? What are the items on Japan's agenda for a re-intensified Africa policy?