The shift from "aid" to "business" in Africa since The Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) in 2008 has become mainstream. This happened throughout TICAD V (2013) and TICAD VI (2016), the first conference held in Africa (Nairobi, Kenya). Private enterprise is now in the driver's seat of Africa's development.
Under these circumstances, the Japan Business Council for Africa was established in Tokyo in June. This is a platform aimed at the Japanese private sector, where ambition to do business in Africa runs high, under the full support of the Japanese government. The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) serves as part of its secretariat.