Japan will help African nations in surviving China's Debt Trap

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi addresses an online meeting with African counterparts of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development at his Tokyo ministry, On March 26, 2022.

Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japan's foreign minister, said on Saturday that Tokyo will help African countries in escaping China's "debt trap."

During an online meeting with African ministers, Hayashi expressed his willingness to assist African countries seeking to exit the debt trap, saying, "We would facilitate the environment in which (poor countries) do not have to rely on such finance," while mentioning China.

He also stated, "We should not accept destabilization of developing countries."

The two-day sessions, which will last through Sunday, are intended to build the basis for the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, a Japan-led endeavor to aid African development, which is set to take place in August.

In a veiled reference to China's massive infrastructure projects in developing countries, Japan's Foreign Ministry issued its annual white paper on development cooperation earlier this month, saying the international community has been condemning "debt trap" financing, which saddles recipient countries with loans they can't repay.

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