First China, now Japan moves to woo African nations at economic forum

Japan will this weekend welcome dozens of leaders from Africa as it looks to boost economic ties and wrestle resources and market share away from an increasingly assertive China.

The five-yearly Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) - co-organised by Japan, the United Nations, the World Bank and the African Union - will bring together leaders from more than 40 African countries.

Japanese and African officials said the fifth TICAD forum, which was first held in 1993, would emphasise the need to boost trade and investment, in an attempt to transform the relationship from an aid-led one to a business partnership.

Japan "recognises the need to strengthen ties with African countries" against the backdrop of growing interest from rivals such as China and South Korea, said Japanese trade ministry official Yasunori Nakayama.

"The growth of the middle-class in Africa ... shows the importance of the continent as a business partner" in providing new markets for Japanese firms struggling with a contracting customer base at home, Nakayama said.

Despite relatively long-standing connections, Japan's importance to Africa has slipped behind that of China, whose more aggressive approach has given it five times the trading volume and eight times the direct investment.