By Amos Sikaonga 
By Amos Sikaonga
Ministry of Tourism says Zambia is seeking investment in the development of tourism-supporting infrastructure such as hotels, lodges, and transport systems.
Permanent Secretary Evans Muhanga said this is to unlock the full potential of the country’s natural attractions, including national parks, waterfalls, freshwater bodies, and diverse wildlife.
Mr. Muhanga called on the Japanese government and private sector to explore the vast investment opportunities Zambia offers in key sectors such as tourism , energy, mining , infrastructure and agriculture, noting that the country is endowed with numerous resources and good policies that favour foreign investment.
Speaking when he met Shinagawa Mayor in Tokyo, Mr. Muhanga emphasized that Zambia’s participation at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan presents a unique platform to market the country as a competitive and reliable investment destination, while deepening bilateral cooperation with Japan.
“In 2024 Zambia registered about 2.2 million international tourists visiting Zambia with Japan increasing from 3913 visitors in 2023 to 6778. We would like more Japanese people to visit Zambia and also invest in the country,” Mr. Muhanga said.
He further encouraged Japanese stakeholders to consider opportunities in mining, noting that Zambia is richly endowed with critical minerals such as copper, cobalt, manganese, and gold resources essential to the future of smart technologies and green energy transitions.
With regards to the energy sector, Mr. Muhanga noted Zambia’s current energy deficit and underscored the need for investments in renewable and advanced energy technologies.
He appealed for partnerships in solar and clean energy solutions to boost national energy security and power productivity across sectors.
“In line with the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP), Zambia has prioritized sectors such as agriculture, health, education, energy, infrastructure, and industrialization.”
“We are calling for strategic investment to support value addition and enhance resilience,” he stated.
He added that skills development, especially for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), remains critical.
Mr. Muhanga invited Japanese institutions and investors to collaborate with Zambia in vocational training and technological advancement to uplift the country’s human capital and support entrepreneurship.
“Zambia and Japan are commemorating 61 years of bilateral relations this year, and we believe this Expo is a strategic moment to deepen our cooperation and foster lasting partnerships,” he added.
And Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry Director for Domestic Trade and Commerce Margaret Chikuba noted that Zambia’s participation in the Expo is the sub-theme “connecting lives with a National focus on connecting lives for sustainability”, Zambia’s exhibition is tailored to focus on diversity, partnerships and shared resources.
Ms. Chkuba said Zambia’s pavilion is showcasing the creation of a better future through the country’s unity in diversity of cultural richness and leadership system, its efforts to sustainably harness partnerships for development and inclusivity and share its resources for regional and global development.
“Despite our many ethnic groups, Zambia remains united under the national motto ‘One Zambia, One Nation.”
“Through stable leadership, education, trade, diplomacy and development, we continue to demonstrate how diversity can be a strength and a foundation for peace and cooperation,” she said.
Ms. Chikuba also outlined Zambia’s role in local and regional partnerships through shared water bodies, agriculture exports, and infrastructure projects like the one-stop border posts and regional trade corridors, all contributing to economic integration and interconnectivity.
She encouraged visitors to the Expo to engage with Zambia’s exhibits and learn how the country is leveraging partnerships, innovation, and shared resources to contribute to a better and more sustainable future.
Meanwhile, Shinagawa Mayor Kyoko Morisawa welcomed Zambia’s participation and expressed optimism about deepening bilateral relations between the two countries.
Zambia’s presence at Expo 2025 Osaka is part of a six-month global platform under the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” offering countries a chance to promote investment, cultural exchange, and cooperation on global development priorities.
This is according to a statement issued by Faith Chilube, First Secretary, Press and Public Relations, at the Zambian Embassy in, Tokyo, Japan.
Cecilia Chiluba