North African countries have been a magnet for Western and Japanese businesses thanks to sizeable gas and oil deposits, proximity to the European market and the potential of their internal markets driven by young, growing populations.
Some firms, however, are re-evaluating the benefits versus the risks, highlighted by the deadly hostage crisis last month in Algeria involving dozens of foreigners, including several Japanese.
Political instability and civil strife since the Arab Spring movement for democracy that started in 2011 have forced a number of Japanese firms to shut down factories or pull out altogether.