Japan called on the private sector to increase investments in Africa, at the ongoing Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, or TICAD 9, on Thursday.

¡°We will promote the expansion of Japanese companies (into Africa) and the development of local industries (on the continent),¡± said former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, acting chair of the conference, which runs for three days through Friday in Yokohama.

¡°It¡¯s more important than ever to leverage the energy of the private sector for the sustainable development of Africa, amid growing demand for funding to address social and economic challenges,¡± Kishida noted.