Kenya, Japan strengthen partnership as Ruto meets Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi
By Ndiritu Wanjiru, May 4, 2026President William Ruto has renewed Kenya’s commitment to enhancing its long-established diplomatic and economic relationship with Japan, with an emphasis on increased cooperation in terms of trade, investment, infrastructure development, and people-to-people relationships.
Taking it to his social media handles on Monday, May 4, 2026, the president has said that the commitment has been renewed following a meeting at State House, Nairobi, with the foreign minister of Japan, Toshimitsu Motegi.
The head of state has said that the talks reaffirmed the long-standing relationship between Kenya and Japan since the independence of Kenya in 1963, and the two countries have since developed into a strong development partnership.
“Kenya and Japan have strong diplomatic and economic ties dating back to our country’s independence in 1963 and anchored on development cooperation, infrastructure development, and trade and investment,” Ruto said.
Call for Japanese investment
President Ruto observed that Japan has continued to be an important ally in Kenya’s development agenda, especially in facilitating the development of infrastructure and sustainable economic development in Kenya. He was delighted by the fact that over 120 Japanese firms are currently operating and investing in Kenya, saying that the government is eager to attract even more investors through public-private partnerships, in particular, in those areas where commercial ventures are viable.
“We appreciate Japan as a trusted partner and friend. This means that our cooperation has to extend beyond our government-to-government interaction to include the private sector and a stronger people-to-people interaction,” Ruto added.
The Head of State also urged Japanese businesses to exploit Kenya’s strategic position as a gateway to the East African region, which has opportunities in manufacturing, energy, transport, and technology.
More than 120 Japanese companies have invested in Kenya, and we continue to encourage more businesses to come to Kenya and participate in public-private partnerships, especially for commercially viable projects,” Ruto added.
The meeting is a reflection of the continual efforts of both countries to take their cooperation to a new level that would propel both countries to shared prosperity and enhance bilateral relations.