Osaka. Tanzania has intensified efforts to attract foreign investment and boost tourist arrivals from Japan, with senior government officials calling for stronger commercial ties between the two nations during a high-profile business, tourism and investment forum held at Expo 2025 Osaka.
The minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr Pindi Chana, has led the call to Japanese investors, urging them to seize the vast opportunities in Tanzania’s tourism sector.
She delivered her remarks on May 26, 2025, during the forum convened at The Westin Hotel, an event that coincided with the country’s participation in the World Expo 2025 Kansai Osaka.
“Tanzania enjoys enduring political stability under the able leadership of President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan,” she noted, adding that the conducive investment climate and rich tourism assets make the country an ideal destination for Japanese capital and leisure travellers.
Dr Chana also encouraged Japanese travel agencies to enhance collaboration with their Tanzanian counterparts to grow mutual tourism flows, pledging continued support to deepen bilateral engagements in the sector.
Opening the forum, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said the Tanzanian government is committed to forging meaningful commercial linkages between Tanzanian businesses and their global peers, particularly in Japan.
He noted that international fora such as the Osaka Expo offer a vital platform to promote Tanzania’s investment landscape.
“This is our third such engagement with Japanese investors, and we are already seeing the impact in terms of growing trade and partnerships,” Mr Majaliwa said.
He disclosed that, as of March 2025, a total of 24 Japanese companies had invested in various projects in Tanzania, with a combined value of $42.7 million, creating employment for over 1,100 Tanzanians.
Mr Majaliwa further highlighted Japan’s critical role in supporting Tanzania’s development agenda, with the East Asian nation extending assistance in sectors including agriculture and infrastructure.
The event also witnessed the signing of six memoranda of understanding, signifying a deepening of cooperation between the two nations.
Among these was an agreement between the Government of Tanzania and Japan’s JGC Corporation for the advancement of geothermal energy and natural gas processing technologies.
Another pact involved the Tanzania Investment Centre and Axcel Africa, focusing on promoting investment opportunities across the country.
Other signed agreements included collaborations between the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority (ZIPA) and Axcel Africa, the Tanzania Geothermal Development Company (TGDC) and Toshiba Energy Solutions, and a tripartite deal involving the University of Dodoma, Benjamin Mkapa Hospital and Japan’s Tokushukai Medical Group.
Additionally, a framework for cooperation was signed with the Japan-Africa Economic and Development Association (AFRECO).
On the industrial front, the minister for Industry and Trade, Dr Suleiman Jafo, highlighted President Samia’s ambition of positioning Tanzania as a premier investment destination. He called upon Tanzanians to actively pursue these opportunities to foster individual and national development.
Dr Jafo said the government is prioritising sectors such as infrastructure, blue economy, agriculture, and value addition to strategic minerals.
He stressed the importance of attracting investors to establish agro-processing plants, modern irrigation infrastructure and mineral beneficiation facilities, noting that Japan’s technological expertise could be instrumental in these areas.
For his part, Zanzibar’s minister for Trade and Industrial Development, Omar Said Shaaban, said the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar is laying the groundwork for investment zones, with industrial parks already established in Duga Zuze and Chamanangwe in Pemba.
Mr Shaaban further revealed the launch of a new investment guide for Zanzibar, unveiled by Mr Majaliwa and distributed to Japanese investors during the forum.
He added that the blue economy, particularly modern fish processing, remains a priority for Zanzibar’s economic transformation agenda.
Earlier, the Commissioner general of Tanzania’s Expo 2025 participation and TanTrade director general, Latifa Khamis, explained that the forum was designed to bring together Tanzanian and Japanese business stakeholders across key sectors, including energy, minerals, agriculture, banking, tourism, investment and health.
She said the discussions aimed to explore ways to enhance joint ventures and commercial partnerships, paving the way for increased trade and investment inflows.
As part of the forum, Prime Minister Majaliwa also witnessed the signing of additional cooperation agreements in the energy sector, including one between TGDC and Toshiba to develop Tanzania’s estimated 5,000 megawatts of geothermal potential across 52 identified sites in 16 regions.
Accompanied by Deputy Permanent Secretary for Electricity and Renewable Energy, Dr Khatibu Kazungu, Mr Majaliwa hailed the Japanese firms for their commitment to collaborate with Tanzania, especially during the quinquennial Osaka World Expo, pledging further cooperation in energy development and beyond.
The participation of Tanzania at the World Expo 2025, coupled with the high-level bilateral engagements, reflects the government’s broader strategy of leveraging global platforms to attract investments, diversify the economy and strengthen diplomatic ties.
