A special year for Japanese Consulate
THE Japanese Consulate in Cape Town celebrates 100 years. It was established on August 8 in 1918, in the same year Nelson Mandela was born, and 50 years after the Meiji Restoration when Japan was still transforming itself into a modern and industrialised country by actively learning from the world and working hard to become an emerging country.
It was in that context that Japan opened the first official mission on the African continent in Cape Town. Legation in Pretoria was opened in 1937 and the Japanese Embassy opened in 1992, after being upgraded from a consulate-general.
Although today the Japanese Consulate in Cape Town is the smallest among the 37 Japanese missions in Africa, it is the oldest one with strong ties to Africa, which has been established and enhanced over the past century.
Looking further back, we see many footprints of Japan in the Cape.
The first Japanese person recorded to have arrived in South Africa landed just 10 years after Jan van Riebeeck. The second commander, Zacharias Wagenaer, who served as a VOC captain at Dejima, an island in Nagasaki, where limited trade was allowed during isolation, arrived at the Cape with “Anthonyj de Later van Japan” in 1662 and freed him in 1666 “after 10 years of dedicated service”. Anthonyj was allowed to own a piece of land and a house at the corner of Adderley and Strand streets, where Woolworths is today, and that block became the “Cradle of Commerce” of the Mother City.
Another sign of Japanese footprints in the Cape is the six iconic camphor trees found at Vergelegen Estate in Somerset West. According to the estate, the trees were brought by Simon van der Stel circa 1700, who also stopped at Dejima. The camellia japonica and hydrangea (originating from Japan) found at the estate today were also brought as a package from Japan. The forests of camphor, camellia and hydrangea at the Vergelegen cannot speak but they must have seen all the early interactions of Japanese people in the Cape.
Prior to the Japanese Consulate opening in 1918, a prominent Japanese businessman Komahei Furuya spent 17 years in Cape Town from 1898 to 1915 and ran a sundry shop called Mikado Shokai on Adderley Street. Japanese ships started visiting the Cape, and the de facto envoy Furuya welcomed incoming Japanese ships by waving the Japanese flag at piers. He was fluent in English and his great passion contributed to the profile of Japanese residents during those difficult days. He nominated Julius Jeppe as the honorary consul of Japan, who was appointed in 1910 and served until the Japanese Consulate was established.
Cape Town is a scramble juncture of culture and history where people meet. People from Japan also came here at different periods for unknown ventures, and probably experienced both joy and struggle as they became part of the evolution of Africa. This inspiration strengthens our commitment to this land and makes us look forward toward the development of the continent and a prosperous common future.
There are about 200 Japanese residents in the Cape; many of them are permanent residents who have strong affection and identity with the local community. Recently we are also observing encouraging signs of Japanese investment in the Cape. Since 2016, no less than six major Japanese companies have opened their offices with investments, including Hayakawa South Africa, AJ North/Rohto Pharmaceutical, Nomura International and Panasonic South Africa.
These companies form part of 140 Japanese companies which have a growing interest in and have set up base in South Africa, most of these bases overseeing operations throughout sub-Saharan Africa. They are eager to seek further partnerships in sectors including automotive, energy, mining, science/ technology and innovation.
Japan is willing to make sizeable contributions in the form of investment to South Africa, the significance of Japanese investment being not only on capital but with robust sharing of success models, expertise, experience and human resource development.
Throughout the past 70 years after World War II, the Japanese government has been sharing its experience and industrial expertise through official development assistance. The remarkable emergence of economies in Asia is testimony of what can be achieved through the sharing of experience and expertise, and now our focus is more on the African continent. Japan, being a former underdeveloped nation with experience of overcoming devastations, has strong aspirations to make contributions towards sustainable and inclusive development of the world.
It is a happy coincidence that this year the world celebrates the 100th anniversary of the birth of former president Nelson Mandela. In recalling Mandela, I am honoured to have been the first Japanese person to have met him after his release.
Mandela used to have a strong interest in the reconstruction of Japan, and how the nation demonstrated ownership and resilience to become the master of its own destiny. Since then, through development partnerships with South Africa, nearly 1 600 South Africans have gained experience in Japan and are making a positive contribution in leading industries and different fields locally.
The Japan International Co-operation Agency, a governmental agency that co-ordinates official development assistance for the government of Japan, is committed to making a difference in Africa by regional integration facilitation through One Stop Border Post, productivity promotion by Kaizen, the doubling of rice production in Africa, energy production and water management.
Preparation is now under way with the AU, UN and World Bank as well as private sectors for the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 7) to be held in Yokohama from August 28 to 30 next year.
Japan will also host the G20 Summit as well as the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
To conclude, in reaching the centenary of first official Japanese presence in Africa, we have deepened our commitment to Africa.
Our centenary presents an opportunity for us to look back at the past, feel the water from the ancient well, and envision our future. We therefore embrace the appeal by President Cyril Ramaphosa made to Japanese companies at the Japan-Africa Public-Private Economic Forum on May 3 this year to become “part of the inclusive story of Africa”.
Naito is Consul of Japan in Cape Town, serving as a Japanese diplomat in South Africa for 19 years intermittently since 1987.