Author: Kweku Ampiah.

This book is an empirical analysis of the political, economic and diplomatic factors informing Japan's relations with sub-Saharan Africa from 1974 to the early part of the 1990s. Japan's relations with three African countries - South Africa, Nigeria and Tanzania - are examined in order to illustrate the dynamics of Japan's presence in the region. Specifically, these cases are used to ascertain the nature of the trade, investment and aid relations which Japan sustained with the region during the period under review. For example, by examining investments in, and divestments from, Nigeria, the case is dismissed that Japan had any significant resource interests amongst the Organization of African Unity (OAU) member states of the region. Not even the abundance of goodquality crude oil in Nigeria was seen as relevant to Japan's national security by the country's policy makers which underlines the fact that the popular conception of Japan as being 'obsessed' with Africa's raw materials was grossly exaggerated.