Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria on Tuesday, in a 45-minute courtesy call that covered trade, energy, critical minerals and global political affairs.
The meeting, which began at 10:10 a.m. local time on May 5, comes as Japan seeks to deepen its footprint on the African continent through its Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) framework.
Ramaphosa told Motegi that Japan is a particularly important country for South Africa, one that shares values such as freedom, democracy and the rule of law, and that he wished to further develop the relationship under the turbulent global situation. He added that he was keen to grow bilateral relations, including economic ties. 
Motegi responded by describing South Africa as an important partner of Japan, noting that the two countries share fundamental values and principles, including freedom and the rule of law, which sit at the core of the FOIP vision. He expressed his desire to continue cooperating with South Africa toward maintaining and strengthening a rules-based, free and open international order.
Both sides exchanged views on a wide range of fields, from economic security encompassing the strengthening of supply chain resilience for critical minerals, to decarbonisation, energy and investment. They agreed to elevate bilateral relations to new heights.
Motegi also laid out the updated FOIP framework, telling his hosts that Japan is a long-term, reliable partner for Africa, including South Africa. The two sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation in international forums.
Separately, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola also hosted Motegi on the same day. The meeting focused on advancing discussions on stronger bilateral relations, particularly economic cooperation in line with South Africa’s goal of diversifying its markets, as well as exchanging views on key global political issues.
Among the outcomes from the engagements was South Africa’s commitment to deepening bilateral ties with Japan, anchored in shared values including respect for the rule of law. The two countries also advanced discussions on enhanced economic cooperation and South Africa shared its priorities for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Chairship, seeking Japan’s support on the matter.
