MBABANE – The Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Manqoba Khumalo, received a courtesy visit from Shinya Ishizuka, Junior Executive Officer of ITOCHU Corporation and CEO for the Africa Bloc, to discuss expanding trade and investment ties between Eswatini and Japan.
ITOCHU Corporation operates across multiple sectors including food commodities such as cacao, sesame, and coffee, with a subsidiary pineapple processing factory in Sierra Leone. The company is also involved in metals and mining projects like the Platreef Platinum venture and coal trade, machinery sales featuring Isuzu and Mazda vehicles, energy and chemicals, as well as textiles including organic cotton.
Minister Khumalo welcomed the Japanese conglomerate’s interest, noting ITOCHU’s strong presence in various African markets and its diversified portfolio. He recalled the recent successful showcase by the Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority (EIPA) at the Japan Expo, which laid the groundwork for deeper investment discussions. 
