The new Japanese Ambassador to Kenya, Hiroshi Matsuura, has praised the cordial relationship between Nairobi and Tokyo and emphasized his country’s commitment to enhancing ties with Kenya across various sectors.
In his remarks during the celebration of His Majesty Emperor Naruhito’s birthday, Japan’s 126th emperor, the envoy highlighted the importance of the bilateral partnership and the potential for deeper collaboration between the countries.
“Kenya has been our strong partner since its independence and we are keen on having deeper ties with it. The warm relationship is beneficial for both countries,” said Ambassador Matsuura.
The diplomat stated that Japan will continue to work closely with Kenya on matters of mutual interest, including support for the United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON) and the collective agenda for reforming the UN Security Council.
“Japan appreciates how much Kenya commits to the principal of multilateralism and how much Kenya treasures its hosting of United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON). We pay high respect,” he remarked.
According to the Ambassador, both the people of Japan and Kenya are optimistic, open to new ideas, respectful of traditions, hardworking, and confident in themselves.
“By thinking together, discussing together, and acting together, we learn from each other and inspire each other. This why the friendship of Kenya and Japan is long. It has been long on the past, it will be long in the future,” he stated.
“At present, the present time, the warm and intimate feeling for and deep respect for each other stay long in our hearts and minds. This is the foundation of our bilateral relations. A very solid foundation. Tuendelee kutembea pamoja,” the envoy added.
Japan a Key Ally to Kenya
During the occasion, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi noted that Japan remains a trusted and valued partner, and expressed Kenya’s commitment to deepening this six-decade-long relationship, built on mutual trust and respect.
He stressed that Kenya continues to appreciate and actively participate in Japan’s collaboration with Africa through the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) framework.
Mudavadi, who also serves as the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, stated that Kenya and Japan have enjoyed long-standing warm and cordial relations since 1963, when diplomatic ties were established based on mutual respect, shared principles, and common values.
“I affirm that Kenya is committed to addressing any existing challenges by undertaking economic reforms at the macro and micro level to attract more investment and deepen economic partnerships with Japan,” said Mudavadi.
He noted that the relationship between Kenya and Japan is characterised by high-level exchanges and visits, highlighted by last year’s official visit to Japan by Kenya’s President, William Samoei Ruto. During this visit, Kenya witnessed the signing of Memoranda of Understanding for cooperation in various sectors, including ICT, industry and manufacturing, and infrastructure.
He added that Kenya is making earnest preparations to seize opportunities to showcase its tourism and cultural diversity. He said Kenya is looking forward to welcoming Japanese business delegations expected in March 2025 for continued discussions on mutually beneficial issues.
“We welcome Japanese tourists to visit and enjoy the rich flora and fauna and take in the diverse cultures that are our heritage,” said Mudavadi.
Mudavadi remarked that Japan is a strong and dependable development partner, significantly contributing to the achievement of Kenya’s national development aspirations, including the UN Agenda 2030.
“Kenya and Japan enjoy strong economic relations, including trade, investment, and development assistance for mutual benefits. Notably, Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Kenya remains the largest in the region and covers major sectors of our economy, including infrastructural development, manufacturing, and industry, Agriculture, Health, Education, and ICT,” said Mudavadi.
He highlighted one success story as the cooperation between the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), which has led to KEMRI’s rising prominence in health research within the region and across the African continent.
“In 2024, our President signed an MoU with Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for a Sh. 3 billion grant to aid in the construction of a high-level facility to train scientists in research and development of biotechnology products,” said Mudavadi.
He further indicated that this year, Kenya had the privilege of hosting the Kenya-Japan Business Forum on 15th January 2025 and the inaugural Kenya-Japan Policy Dialogue on 20th January 2025. Mudavadi stated that these meetings deepened economic collaboration between Kenya and Japan.
“Through such engagements, Kenya aims to attract increased investment, technology transfer, and market access, thus fostering industrialization and economic transformation,” he said
