Ambassador's Message and Biography
2023/12/20
Ambassador's Message
Dear All,
Greetings! Makadii zvenyu? Salibonani lonke?
I arrived in Zimbabwe in early December 2023 and presented my letter of credentials to His Excellency Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, on 15th December 2023.
My first impressions of Zimbabwe are that the capital city, Harare, has beautiful green nature and a majestic cityscape, and also that Zimbabwean people are polite, gentle, and hardworking. I feel that the personality traits of Zimbabweans are similar to those of Japanese people. This national character is also related to the high level of education, with a literacy rate of over 90%.
Although, unfortunately, business activities are suppressed due to previous economic crises, I would like to help promote the business environment here by inviting Japanese companies to take advantage of Zimbabwe's great potential, such as its abundant natural resources, fertile land, and highly educated population.
I will also focus on promoting Japan’s economic cooperation with Zimbabwe to support this country’s sustainable development, using my experience and knowledge gained through nearly 40 years of development cooperation work.
Currently, our main cooperation areas are in the field of agriculture, including increasing rice production and teaching small-scale farmers market-oriented horticulture, as well as in the fields of infrastructure, health and education. We are also supporting at the grassroots level, such as through NGOs and dispatching Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers to share their skills at various institutions around the country.
Japan will continue to support Zimbabwe’s sustainable development to improve the living standards of all Zimbabweans and further strengthen relations between our two countries.
I look forward to meeting you and working with you!
Thank you. Tatenda. Siyabonga.
20 December 2023
Ambassador of Japan to Zimbabwe
YAMANAKA Shinichi
Greetings! Makadii zvenyu? Salibonani lonke?
I arrived in Zimbabwe in early December 2023 and presented my letter of credentials to His Excellency Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, on 15th December 2023.
My first impressions of Zimbabwe are that the capital city, Harare, has beautiful green nature and a majestic cityscape, and also that Zimbabwean people are polite, gentle, and hardworking. I feel that the personality traits of Zimbabweans are similar to those of Japanese people. This national character is also related to the high level of education, with a literacy rate of over 90%.
Although, unfortunately, business activities are suppressed due to previous economic crises, I would like to help promote the business environment here by inviting Japanese companies to take advantage of Zimbabwe's great potential, such as its abundant natural resources, fertile land, and highly educated population.
I will also focus on promoting Japan’s economic cooperation with Zimbabwe to support this country’s sustainable development, using my experience and knowledge gained through nearly 40 years of development cooperation work.
Currently, our main cooperation areas are in the field of agriculture, including increasing rice production and teaching small-scale farmers market-oriented horticulture, as well as in the fields of infrastructure, health and education. We are also supporting at the grassroots level, such as through NGOs and dispatching Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers to share their skills at various institutions around the country.
Japan will continue to support Zimbabwe’s sustainable development to improve the living standards of all Zimbabweans and further strengthen relations between our two countries.
I look forward to meeting you and working with you!
Thank you. Tatenda. Siyabonga.
20 December 2023
Ambassador of Japan to Zimbabwe
YAMANAKA Shinichi
Biography
| 6 Nov. 1961 |
Born in Kanagawa, Japan |
| B.A. in Economics, Keio University, Japan | |
| Master of Science (Financial Economics), University of London, U.K |
|
| Apr. 1984 | Joined Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund of Japan (OECF) |
| *OECF was succeeded to Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) in 1999, then Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in 2008 |
|
| Oct. 2009 | Chief Representative, India Office, JICA |
| Aug. 2012 | Senior Deputy Director General, Human Resources Department, JICA |
| Apr. 2014 | Director General, Middle East and Europe Department, JICA |
| Oct. 2016 | Director General, Operations Strategy Department, JICA |
| Jun. 2018 | Chief Representative, Indonesia Office, JICA |
| Oct. 2020 | Senior Vice President, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) |
| Dec. 2023 | Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Zimbabwe |