STELLENBOSCH – Efforts to deepen ties between Africa and Japan have gained traction through the Stellenbosch University Japan Centre (SUJC), which is emerging as a key platform for academic and cultural collaboration on the continent.
A two-day visit by senior officials from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) headquarters in Tokyo took place from 23 to 24 June 2026. The delegation, made up of Mr Hiroshi Mochizuki, Senior Deputy Director, and Ms Eri Maeda, Programme Officer, held engagements with the SUJC and its affiliate institutions. The centre has been active since 2021 and currently operates with a team of five, including Stellenbosch University staff and a JICA expert who joined in January 2024.
During the visit, the team paid a courtesy call to Mr Samuel Tshehla, Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor of Strategy, Global and Corporate Affairs. Mr Mochizuki, a familiar face in South Africa, was joined by Ms Maeda who was on her first official visit to the country. The pair are part of JICA’s Human Development Department, focusing on higher education and social security. 
