Tokyo ÔÇô On Monday, the first full day of President Khama’s Official Visit to Japan, was highlighted by meetings between His Excellency and His Imperial Majesty the Emperor Akihito and the Japanese Prime Minister Mr. Naoto Kan.
The President was given the rare honour of an audience with the world’s last reigning Emperor this afternoon at the Imperial Palace. The occasion was the symbolic highlight of an eventful day that was otherwise largely taken up by a series of bilateral meetings culminating in Official Talks between President Khama and Prime Minister Kan, who were joined on each side by accompanying Ministers and Senior Officials responsible for economics, trade, industry, communications and executive and external affairs.
In welcoming the Botswana delegation, Prime Minister Kan expressed his government’s appreciation for Botswana’s record of political stability and economic growth, further emphasising Japan’s desire to enhance bilateral relations through business to business as well as government to government contacts. He further pledged his support for Botswana’s robust economic development.
For his part President Khama expressed his own appreciation for the friendship and support that the Japanese have extended to Botswana since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1966, going on to cite various examples of Japanese institutional partnership, such as the ongoing collaboration with the Botswana Geological Remote Sensing Centre in Lobatse in the systematic search for new mineral prospects.
Additional areas of discussion included potential cooperation in transportation, broadcasting, business promotion, and reform of multilateral institutions. With respect to the latter, the Prime Minister welcomed Botswana’s steadfast support for Japan’s bid to secure a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council.
The Prime Minister further expressed his view that while Asia had been a centre of rapid growth in recent decades, he believed that Southern and Central Africa would become the location of the next wave of rapid economic expansion.
Prior to his meeting with Prime Minister Kan, President Khama held separate meetings with high powered business delegations from the “Keizai Doyukai” (Japan Association of Corporate Executives) and “Keidanren” (Japanese Business Federation), who will both be represented at tomorrow’s Botswana Investment Roundtable, which will be hosted at the Keidanren’s Tokyo headquarters.┬á ┬á
   
The Keizai Doyukai delegation was led by the Chairman of its Africa-Japan Relations Committee, Mr. Mamoru Sekiyama. The Association is made up of approximately 1300 of the country’s top business executives who participate as individuals, while the Keidanren has an institutional membership comprised of large Japanese Corporations.
At their meeting Mr. Sekiyama expressed interest in knowing what underpinned Botswana’s sustained record of good governance, which in response President Khama attributed to a culture of consultation, tolerance and respect for the rights of others rooted in the tradition of the kgotla and reinforced by more modern institutions.
During the discussions further interest was expressed in Botswana’s diversification drive, with specific reference to developments in the minerals sector, the Kazungula bridge project and human resource development.
The President noted that while Botswana has long been burdened by its landlocked status it was now trying to convert this disadvantage into an advantage by investing in infrastructure that would allow the country to take full advantage of its central location as a regional transport hub.
The Keidanren delegation was led by the Chairman of its Committee on Sub-Saharan Africa, Mr. Dobashi who has recently visited Botswana and will be chairing tomorrow’s Roundtable.┬á
Earlier in the day Khama took time to meet with three Batswana students studying on Japan ÔÇô Mr. Ame Selepeng, Mr. Tirelo Moepswa and Ms. Itumeleng Seitshiro, who are all doing post-graduate studies in mining related subjects at Akiti University in northern Japan.
Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1966, Botswana and Japan have developed a strong bilateral relationship based on mutual respect, which has been manifested in cooperation over the years in such areas as economic development and trade, cultural exchange, and Japanese support in such areas as Education, Health and Transport and Communications.
While this is President Khama’s first visit to Japan as Head of State, previously visited the country while Vice President. Former Presidents Sir Ketumile Masire and Fetus Mogae also each visited Japan on multiple occasions as Heads of State, underscoring the close bilateral bonds that have been cultivated over the years.
