Editorial: Seize Japanese investment momentum

Early feedback from the investment forum in Yokohama has shown that the country remains an attractive destination for capital. With more than 100 Japanese firms participating, the message has been resounding: Ghana is back on the radar of serious investors.

What is required now is discipline in execution to ensure that interest translates into concrete projects that deliver jobs, technology, and growth.

President John Dramani Mahama’s pitch was simple but effective; Ghana is stable, democratic, and business-friendly. His commitments of fast-track approvals, sovereign guarantees, and blended financing speak directly to the concerns of investors who demand clarity and certainty before deploying funds.

When paired with the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre’s detailed presentation of the 24-Hour Economy and Big Push Agenda, the country presented itself not just as open for business but as ready with a plan.

The incentives on offer; tax holidays, duty waivers, export bonuses, and guarantees against expropriation, are competitive. Strategic projects such as the Volta Economic Corridor and the Kumasi Machinery and Technology Park give investors practical entry points rather than abstract promises. Japanese companies, known for their long-term perspective, will welcome this clarity.

Still, the challenge is to make this renewed interest count. Ghana is no stranger to the arrival of foreign capital, only for expectations to fade due to weak follow-through. The World Bank’s B-Ready Report provided a rude awakening and we should be minded.

This time, the government must ensure that commitments to local content and technology transfer are not treated as optional extras but enforced as part of the investment framework. That is how partnerships will build skills and create real opportunities for Ghanaian entrepreneurs.

We commend the effort in Japan and urge that momentum be sustained. Forums and presentations are important, but they must be backed by reforms that reduce bureaucracy, strengthen the legal environment, and improve infrastructure delivery. Japanese investors are watching not only for opportunities but also for reliability in governance.

If Ghana can match words with action, the President’s much-publicised trip to the Land of the Rising Sun, may mark the start of a deeper economic relationship with Japan; one that strengthens Ghana’s industrial base, creates jobs, and pushes the economy firmly onto a path of resilience and competitiveness.

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