Japan to expand auto manufacturing footprint in Ghana as bilateral ties deepen

Japanese automobile manufacturing companies are set to expand their operations in Ghana with plans to open additional branches, Foreign Affairs Minister Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced.

This follows the conclusion of high-level bilateral discussions with a 35-member Japanese business delegation led by State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Her Excellency Ayano Kunimitsu.

Sharing the news in a social media post on Monday, Okudzeto Ablakwa described the visit as “substantive and mutually beneficial,” marking a significant milestone in Ghana-Japan economic cooperation, and indicated that both nations are prepared to cement strategic partnerships across multiple sectors including automotive manufacturing, space technology, artificial intelligence, and cocoa value addition.

“Japan car manufacturing companies are expected to expand their operations in Ghana with the opening of more branches,” Ablakwa stated. “We have initiated steps to execute our cooperation in space technology and AI, following the MoU I signed in Japan when I attended the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) 9.”

The talks also focused on enhancing value addition in Ghana’s cocoa industry, with emphasis on strengthening the presence and performance of the Ghana Chocolate brand in the Japanese market.

Ablakwa noted that this renewed cooperation comes at a symbolic time, as both countries prepare to commemorate three significant milestones in 2027: 70 years of bilateral relations, 100 years of Dr. Hideyo Noguchi’s groundbreaking public health work on yellow fever in Ghana, where the Japanese scientist “paid the ultimate price with his own life,” and 50 years of Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers’ (JOC) service in Ghana.

“We deeply value our excellent Ghana-Japan relations and remain committed to expanding cooperation that delivers mutual economic growth and development,” Ablakwa emphasized.