What are Japan's Comparative Advantages in Africa? A Discussion from a Historical and Comparative Perspective

As Africa, now widely seen as a continent of vast potential, has come to attract the attention of the world and particularly of many Asian powers, Japan is seen by many observers as grossly lagging behind its Asian peers and even as hardly visible in the landscape. Moreover, when discussing Japan's engagement in Africa, the media almost always seem to frame the topic only in the context of the rivalry between Japan and China. Against this backdrop, while admitting that such discourse contains more than a grain of truth, this article attempts to provide a different perspective from which to look at the roles Japan has been playing and could play in the future in Africa. The case is premised on the argument that Japan has certain assets which cannot be found in other actors involved in Africa, be they the Western countries, emerging countries, or international organizations. To support the argument, the article discusses the characteristics of Japan's international development cooperation implemented through its official development assistance programs, business models employed therein, and Japan's engagement paths with Africa, all of which are somewhat different from other actors and could work to Japan's advantage.