United Nations Secretary-General António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres will embark on a five-day official visit to Japan from August 19 to 23, 2025, underscoring the country’s central role in multilateral diplomacy and global development cooperation.
The highlight of the visit will be the Secretary-General’s participation in the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), scheduled for August 20–21. At the conference, Guterres will engage in high-level discussions with Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and attend a diplomatic breakfast hosted by Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi. TICAD has long served as a key platform linking Japan, Africa, and international partners in advancing sustainable development, peace, and economic growth.
On August 22, Guterres will travel to Osaka to attend the United Nations Special Day at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, where the UN will showcase its initiatives on climate action, technology, and inclusive development.
This visit, the Secretary-General’s seventh to Japan, is expected to consolidate the longstanding partnership between Japan and the United Nations. Analysts note that Tokyo’s growing engagement in global challenges such as climate change, peacebuilding, and Africa’s development agenda positions it as a pivotal actor in multilateral forums.
The Guterres visit comes at a time when both Japan and the United Nations are navigating complex global crises, from geopolitical tensions to sustainable development financing gaps. His presence at TICAD 9 is therefore viewed not only as a reaffirmation of Japan’s diplomatic leadership but also as a call for renewed international cooperation in an era of heightened uncertainty.
Story: Lawal Mohammed
