This presentation examines the historical development of Japan’s African policy. Japan pioneered summit diplomacy, now widely seen in African diplomacy. Japan has hosted the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) since 1993. Whilst Japan had long been indifferent to Africa, it sought to strengthen ties with African countries, accounting for a quarter of the United Nations’ member states, to garner their support. TICAD has undergone significant changes since the late 2000s. These include Africa’s growing preference for development and investment over aid, increased interest in Africa among emerging countries, and Japan’s own recognition of Africa’s resources and markets as promising from an economic policy perspective. As a result, TICAD has evolved into a framework that emphasises the economic relationship between Japan and Africa.

“Mini-Lecture Program by UTokyo Graduate Students and Faculty Members” is a program in which 10-minute mini-lectures are delivered by graduate students and faculty members who have completed the University of Tokyo Future Faculty Program (UTokyo FFP: a program to learn to teach at universities). Six people who delivered excellent lectures in the UTokyo FFP classes will teach their chosen topic in an easy-to-understand way to those who are unfamiliar with the field by utilizing what they learned in the course.