Zambia and Japan Deepen Ties in Youth, Sport and Creative Sectors

Zambia and Japan have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in youth development, sport and the arts, following a courtesy call by Japanese Ambassador Mikami Akiteru on Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts Elvis Nkandu.

Ambassador Mikami said Japan values the long-standing relationship between the two countries, built on a shared interest in expanding collaboration across arts, sport and youth empowerment. He noted that his predecessor had laid strong groundwork within the Ministry and pledged to build on those foundations.

"I may not be a career diplomat, but I come with government experience and a strong determination to build on the already warm relations between our two countries," he said. The Ambassador, making his first posting on the African continent, pointed to Japan's existing support for local initiatives including judo tournaments and arts festivals as evidence of sustained engagement.

Minister Nkandu welcomed Japan's continued partnership, describing the country as a reliable ally across several sectors. He highlighted the value of learning from Japan's development experience, particularly in sports technology, innovation and sport science, and said Zambia stood to benefit significantly from structured exchange programmes.

On the creative economy, Mr Nkandu said Government was exploring Japanese involvement in the development of an arts gallery in Livingstone and had extended an invitation for Japanese participation in this year's Creative Business Summit.

Both sides indicated a shared intent to translate the goodwill into concrete programmes in the months ahead.