Policy Briefs
Industrial interdependence is emerging within a contested field of overlapping external partnerships that compete for South Africa’s and Japan’s strategic attention.
Key Findings and Policy Implications
- Japan-South Africa relations have structurally shifted from development cooperation toward industrial interdependence and supply chain integration.
- TICAD no longer adequately captures the economic-security and geopolitical logic of the partnership.
- Overdependence on traditional diplomatic framing obscures the role of critical minerals, green energy transition, and digital infrastructure.
- Institutional coordination remains fragmented despite strong trade and investment flows.
- A ministerial-level Strategic Economic Dialogue is required to align policy with existing economic realities.
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