Trends in extension of Japanese enterprises in Africa 2013-2019

Abstract

Recent rapid economic growth of Africa has been attracting enterprises in the world as a great opportunity of their business extension. Japanese government has also put emphasis on business partnership with African countries rather than regarding as a target of development assistance. The change of measure is reflected in trend of the main topics of a series of Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), held periodically under auspice of Japanese Government. This study aims to investigate trends in the extension of business of Japanese enterprises under the change of the measure. A set of the lists of Japanese enterprises having business on Africa as of 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2019 was conducted to analyses of the changes by countries and business categories. In the recent two years, business extension of Japanese companies showed rapid growth especially automobile related ones, integrating trading company (Sogo Shosha) and financial services. South Africa and Egypt were the focal points of the business of Japanese enterprises and their local branches but since 2017, additional focal points such as Kenya, Morocco and Nigeria have been emerging.