GHANA-JAPAN OPEN NEW CHAPTER (SEPT 30, 2010)

EXCHANGES between Ghana and Japan date back to the 1920s when Dr Hideyo Noguchi visited the then Gold Coast to research into yellow fever.
Although Dr Noguchi died in the process, his sacrifices laid the foundation for the long-standing relations between Ghana and Japan.
The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research is one major monument that has emerged from the collaboration to assist the country to carry out research into many health conditions facing the people.
Besides this singular sacrifice by Dr Noguchi, the government and peoples of the two countries have collaborated in the areas of trade, agriculture, human resource development and technology transfer.
Japanese volunteers also visit Ghana regularly to offer assistance in some of the deprived areas in the country to help them to improve their well-being. The exchanges between the two countries also include student exchanges, where in most cases, Ghanaian students are offered scholarships to study in Japan.
We recall the Japanese loan support for the Mallam-Yamoransa road, which was cancelled when Ghana opted for the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative in 2001.
Fortunately, Japan committed the support into a grant and helped to construct that stretch of road. Subsequently, Japan cancelled Ghana’s debt of $1billion but cut credit lines to support Ghana’s economic development.
The cancellation of the debt notwithstanding, Ghana lost a lot by way of development aid that could have assisted in carrying out many development projects in the country.
It is, however, refreshing that as a result of the ongoing visit of President John Evans Atta Mills to Japan, the Japanese government has agreed to reopen its grant supply lines to Ghana.
The decision of the Japanese government to open a new chapter in its relations with Ghana in order to forge a new path of friendship, particularly in the areas of infrastructural expansion and job creation, could not have come at a more opportune time. These two areas of co-operation are really critical to the attainment of the ‘Better Ghana’ agenda of the Mills administration.
The country’s road network requires massive rehabilitation and the decision of Japan to reconstruct the Yamoransa Junction-Bekwai road and also build a bridge to connect the Assin Praso and Assin Adanse in the Central Region will open up the area to the rest of the country.
Again, the DAIY GRAPHIC commends the Japanese government for agreeing to help reconstruct the eastern corridor roads that will reduce travelling time from the north to the south.
We are encouraged by the partnership agreement between Ghana and Japan because it makes room for trade as it has generally been acknowledged that handouts from developed countries will not help countries such as Ghana.
Ghana’s chocolate is in high demand in Japan and it is the desire of the DAILY GRAPHIC that our President would use the visit to promote more trade in Ghanaian products in Japan.
The new partnership should not be built on the premise of permanent interest but should be based on a win-win situation for both countries.
We know that Ghana cannot match Japan in terms of trade and technology, but there is room for collaboration in all fields of endeavour.
The Daily Graphic calls on President Mills and Prime Minister Naoto Kan to use the new chapter to build bridges and partnerships that will benefit both countries.
We welcome the renewal of the partnership between Ghana and Japan and hope it provides a strong and firm road towards the mutual good.