Please note that the Embassy will be closed on the following days in 2012
A detailed list of public holidays for 2012 will be published shortly.
02 January 2012
09 January 2012
06 April 2012
09 April 2012
04 May 2012
16 July 2012
24 September 2012
08 October 2012
23 November 2012
24 December 2012
25 December 2012
26 December 2012
2011 Public holidays
| 10 January (Monday) | Coming of Age Day | Japanese holiday |
| 11 February (Friday) | National Foundation Day | Japanese holiday |
| 22 April (Friday) | Good Friday | RSA holiday |
| 25 April (Monday) | Family Day | RSA holiday |
| 2 May (Monday) | Worker's Day (1 May falls on a Sunday) | RSA holiday |
| 3 May (Tuesday) | Constitution Day | Japanese holiday |
| 16 June (Thursday) | Youth Day | RSA holiday |
| 19 September (Monday) | Respect for the Aged Day | Japanese holiday |
| 10 October (Monday) | Health and Sport Day | Japanese holiday |
| 16 December (Friday) | Day of Reconcilliation | RSA holiday |
| 23 December (Friday) | Emperor's Birthday | Japanese holiday |
| 26 December (Monday) | Day of Goodwill | RSA holiday |
Japan’s formal political relations with South Africa can be traced back to 1910 when Japan appointed an Honorary Consul, Mr. J Jeppe, in Cape Town. Next year will be the centennial of the establishment of official relations.
South Africa became an important trading partner for Japan in Africa in the 1960s, but due to South Africa’s Apartheid policies, bilateral relations were restricted to this domain.
South Africa established a Consulate General in November 1962 at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. Consular relations were upgraded to full diplomatic relations on 13 January 1992. During this period, relations with South Africa remained limited, also considering Japan’s support to UN sanctions. Full diplomatic exchanges commenced in 1994.
Former President Nelson Mandela visited Japan in July 1995. Mr Mandela paid tribute to those who had contributed to the struggle against Apartheid and stated that with the ending of Apartheid in South Africa, relations with Japan could only grow from strength to strength.
Subsequent to Mr Mandela’s visit, the then Deputy President Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki held a working visit to Tokyo in April 1998 which contributed to the strengthening of relations between the two countries. It was also during this visit that Mr Mbeki first articulated his “African Renaissance” concept and vision, for the integration of Africa as an equal member of the globalised world community. Whilst acknowledging that Japan and South Africa were important partners in pursuit of a common world order based on peace, democracy, justice and equality, the then Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto and Deputy President Mbeki resolved to deepen, strengthen and diversify this bilateral relationship (Partnership between South Africa and Japan towards the 21st Century). As a result, annual consultations between Ministers and Deputy Ministers were institutionalised under auspices of the South Africa-Japan Partnership Forum. The Ninth Session of the Japan-South Africa partnership Forum was held in January 2009 in Tokyo.
In October 1998, the then Deputy President Mbeki attended the Second Tokyo International Conference on Africa’s Development (TICAD II) in support of the importance that South Africa attached to its bilateral relationship with Japan and to address the Conference on the African Renaissance. (See also more detailed information on the TICAD process in the section dealing with multilateral relations). Mr Mbeki also held discussions with the late Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi.
In January 2001, former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori paid a historic visit to South Africa. A variety of bilateral and multilateral issues were discussed between the then President Mbeki and former Prime Minister Mori during his visit to South Africa. Mr Mori also emphasised Japan’s contribution to global peace and prosperity and its wish to synchronise the TICAD process with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). Following the visit by Mr Mori, two prominent South Africans, ie Dr F Ginwala, Speaker of Parliament and Mr C Ramaphosa, a high profile businessperson, were invited to join Japan’s initiative in regard to the International Commission on Human Security. In recognition for her contributions in this field, Dr Ginwala received during TICAD IV in 2008 the highest Japanese award, ie the "Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun" (Rank One) - there are eight ranks awarded per year and one such an award per year per rank.
The then President, Mr Mbeki paid a State Visit to Japan from 1 to 3 October 2001, at the invitation of the Government of Japan. Mr Mbeki was accompanied by six Ministers (Dr Dlamini Zuma: Minister of Foreign Affairs; Dr BS Ngubane: Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology; Mr A Erwin: Minister of Trade and Industry; Mr V Moosa: Minister of Environmental and Tourism ; Ms AT Didiza: Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs; and Dr ME Tshabala-Msinang: Minister of Health). The Prime Minister at the time, Mr J Koizumi re-affirmed Japan’s policy statement on Africa, made by former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori during his visit to South Africa in January 2001. During the State Visit, both countries confirmed their common views on many issues facing the international community in the twenty-first century and expressed their determination to strengthen the co-operative relationship between North and South towards the achievement of international peace and prosperity. Japan commended South Africa for its leadership as the chair of various international fora including the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Commonwealth, and its contributions to such international conferences as the UN World Conference Against Racism (WCAR). Both countries decided to intensify cooperation towards the successful conclusion of the then upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002. They also reaffirmed the need to strengthen cooperation on other global environmental issues including global warming and fresh water resources in fora such as UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP7), October-November 2001 and the Third World Water Forum in Kyoto in March 2003. These themes are to this day important pillars for bilateral cooperation.
Through its Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) programme, Japan has been very supportive of South Africa, to assist in its nation building. Japan granted South Africa ODA packages in 1994 and again in 1999 (estimated at about $1,5 bn each). The ODA commitment was mainly intended for the previously disadvantaged communities in South Africa in sectors such as education, sanitation, and the provision of medical and water facilities. Japan has also supported South Africa’s human resource development programme under the auspices of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Many South Africans have participated in these very important and advantageous training programmes in Japan. In 2001, South Africa and Japan signed an agreement for the dispatch of Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) who have been deployed in South Africa and have provided assistance in the educational, health and agricultural sectors.
As can be seen from the above, the bilateral relationship has since 1994 expanded across a wide spectrum. The relation is underpinned by three pillars namely:
i ) the South Africa-Japan Partnership Forum which provides for annual meetings between the respective Ministers of Foreign Affairs, as well as technical consultations between senior officials on various foreign policy agenda issues and our bilateral technical assistance programme.
ii) the Japan-South Africa Business Forum which provides a platform for leading South African business persons to meet with Keidanren and which meets on a biennial basis (the last session was held in Japan in November 2008); and
iii) the South Africa-Japan University Forum (SAJU) to ensure that academic exchanges between world leading scientists in Japan and scientists in South Africa can flourish through mutual research projects and programmes (the first two meetings took place at the University of Hiroshima in May 2007 and at the University of Cape Town in May 2008).
South Africa participated in the Aichi World Exhibition in 2006 and won a silver medal for its display at this World Exhibition in its category. Various Cabinet Ministers and Premiers visited Japan through the course of this event. Over three million Japanese visitors were received over six months.
South Africa warmly appreciates the support that the Government of Japan has provided to ASGISA and the Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA). In the sprit of TICAD, the Japanese government demonstrated its solidarity by establishing the Japanese JIPSA Working Group in Tokyo which mobilizes Japanese stakeholders from across the spectrum (public, private and civil society institutions) to assist South Africa’s national programmes (ASGISA and JIPSA) with specific focus on human resource capacity building.
The then Deputy President, Mr Mlambo-Ngcuka and six Ministers and Deputies visited Japan in April 2006. This visit led to wide scale engagement over the spectrum of institutions and business in Japan. She was also accompanied by a small business delegation. The then Deputy President addressed Keidanren’s sub-Saharan Africa Committee on business opportunities in South Africa. She also had a breakfast meeting with leading Japanese academics which led to the establishment of SAJU. This visit mobilised strong support for ASGISA/JIPSA objectives and as a result, the Foreign Ministry established the JIPSA working group.
Minister Dlamini Zuma paid an official visit to Japan from 3-6 December 2006. The most significant outcome of the visit was the decision that was taken to upgrade the bilateral Partnership Forum to Ministerial level as intended in the original Joint Communiqué that constituted this institutionalised mechanism in 1998. The Minister was hosted by former Prime Ministers Koizumi and Mori for a traditional Japanese luncheon. She also held discussions with her then counterpart, Minister T Aso, and the President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Mrs S Ogata. Economic relations were significantly strengthened through the signing of a Declaration of Intent between the SA Government and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership. This partnership proposes to provide for financial co-operation in support of the domestic infrastructure roll-out programme, as well as to support regional SADC projects and to assist with NEPAD projects, notably strengthening SMEs on the continent. JBIC has signed subsequent loan agreements and facilities with South African parastatals such as ESKOM, DBSA and Transnet.
Other interlocutors included the African Diplomatic Corps in Tokyo, the former President of JETRO, Mr Tsukamoto, leading Japanese business people from major Japanese companies such as Toyota, Komatsu, Mitsubishi, Toshiba, Furuya Metals, Matsui, Sanko Steamship, Uchihara Group, DTC DE Beers, Kisaku-en, Japan Association of Travel Agents, Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ and SAA. The strategic significance of South Africa as an economic springboard into the region that would encourage Japanese trade and investment was again emphasized. The Minister responded to recommendations on challenges that South Africa had to address, emanating from the 4th session of the Japan-SA Business Forum, notably contextualising the government's economic strategy, skills development programme and its BEE policy. The Minister also paid a courtesy call on the General Secretary of the Japan Football Association, Mr Tashima, who confirmed Japanese support for South Africa in all aspects pertaining to hosting this event in 2010 (notably in respect of organising volunteers and sustainable use of stadiums after the event).
Various ministerial visits took place between the two countries in 2007. The following South African Ministers visited Japan: Ms L Hendricks, Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, Mr Alec Erwin, Minister of Public Enterprises, Ms B Sonjica, Minister of Minerals and Energy, Mr Mangena, Minister of Science and Technology, Mr M Van Schalkwyk, Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. Japan’s then Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Mr A Amari, visited South Africa in November 2007, as well as the then Minister of Education, Sports, Science, Technology, Arts and Culture, Mr K Tokai.
The bilateral relationship is further enhanced through mutual beneficial resource diplomacy endeavours, ie South Africa provides a secure supply of rare metals and earth to Japanese businesses for technology goods, as well as benefit from Japanese investment, research and technology transfer agreements. South Africa for instance enjoys about 80% of world reserves of the Platinum Metal Group. Following the visit of Mr Amari to South Africa, a delegation from JOGMEC led by the former President of the organization, Mr Isao Kakefuda, visited South Africa and Botswana in November 2007. During the visit to the region, the President signed the following two agreements:
i) A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between JOGMEC and MINTEK - the initial work was on preliminary test-work on bioleaching of copper ore. The research activity took place from October 2007 – March 2008 under mineral processing research. The results of copper bioleaching suggest the possibility to commercialize the application but further scale-up and research work will be conducted between the two institutions. Other new areas of research collaboration will focus on extraction of rare metals from mine tailings.
The second MoU was between JOGMEC-CGS-AIST and the main focus was on geological investigations for rare metals, rare earth elements and other mineral resources based on new geological survey technologies from Japan. The second objective is joint collaboration in the fields of geo-scientific research and capacity building and development for CGS scientists and researchers.
ii) A MoU in mineral prospecting and mining mineral deposits between JOGMEC and the Republic of Botswana. JOGMEC plan to set a Remote Sensing Centre in Botswana which could be used for mineral exploration in the SADC region.
In 2008, the following South African Ministers visited Japan: Mr M Van Schalkwyk, Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, who attended the Gleneagles Dialogue meeting hosted from 14-16 March 2008 in Chiba and the G8 Environment Minister’s meeting (24 - 26 May 2008, Kobe) and provided support to the then President, Mr Mbeki for TICAD IV (28 - 30 May 2008, Yokohama) and G8 (7 - 9 July 2008, Toyako); Mr J Moleketi, the then Deputy Minister of Finance who attended the G8 Development Minister’s meeting (5 - 6 April 2008, Tokyo); Ms L Xingwana, Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs who delivered a keynote address at the Symposium on Agricultural Development in Africa in the build-up to TICAD IV (24 April 2008); and Dr N Dlamini Zuma, Minister of Foreign Affairs who supported Mr Mbeki during TICAD IV (28 - 30 May 2008). The Minister of Home Affairs, Ms N Mapisa-Nqakula presided over the annual Women’s Day celebrations as keynote speaker on 27 August 2008. These high level ministerial visits attest to the growing links between South Africa and Japan both at a bilateral and multilateral level.
Mr Mbeki twice visited Japan in 2008. Firstly in May 2008 when he attended TICAD IV in Yokohama and then in July 2008 for the G8 Summit. Both visits were in a multilateral context, but reflected also on the bilateral relations with Mr Mbeki meeting with his counterpart, the then Prime Minister, Mr Yasuo Fukuda on both occasions.
South Africa also attaches strong importance to further strengthening relations with Japan and its regional economic community, ie the Southern African Development Community (SADC), as well as relations with the Africa Union and its various programmes such as NEPAD. Since August 2008, South Africa chairs the SADC for the next year.
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