President Paul Kagame to address Japan-Rwanda business forum on Jan 9

President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame and country's First Lady Jeannette Kagame already commenced for a two-day official visit to Japan on January 8. In their short visit to the East Asian country, they are expected to attend multiple events.

On the first day, Rwanda Head of State Paul Kagame and his spouse Jeannette Kagame paid a courtesy call to Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace. They are likely to attend a bilateral meeting with Shinzō Abe and his wife Akie Abe. Their bilateral discussions will be concluded by the signing of an 'Exchange of Notes for the Project of Strengthening Nzove-Ntora Principal Water Transmission Pipeline in Kigali City', as reported by The New Times.

The statement said that it is a grant agreement worth 3,191,000,000 Japanese Yen (USD 29,450,324.18). Rwanda and Japan will reportedly cooperate in the Energy, Water and Sanitation, Agriculture, Education and Transportation sectors, among others.

The two leaders will later deliver press statements after which Rwanda's Head of State and First Lady will be hosted to a dinner by the Abe and the Japanese First Lady. The New Times reported that they will be attending and addressing a Japan-Rwanda business forum and interacting with the Japan-AU/Japan-Rwanda Parliamentary Friendship Leagues on January 9.

The business executives represented firms include Mitsubishi, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking, Hitachi High-Tech Group, Toshiba Africa, Marubeni, Shimizu, Toyota Tsusho, Jetro, and Fujita among others. In the previous year, it was reported that the number of Japanese investments in Rwanda had gone up from three to 19 companies in the last five years, with the portfolio expected to grow further going forward.

On the first day of their Official Visit to Japan, President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame pay a courtesy call to their Majesties Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan. pic.twitter.com/Z1eISFAxGt

— Presidency | Rwanda (@UrugwiroVillage) January 8, 2019