It appears that trade between Japan and Cote d’Ivoire ceases not to grow. Indeed, this is what suggests the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) which recently announced in a statement that imports to Cote d’Ivoire from Japan soared 34.4% from FCFA96.105 billion in 2014 to FCFA129.196 billion in 2015.

Products imported by Abidjan mostly include cars, tractors, tricycles, and other vehicles.

Contrarily to imports, exports slumped over the period considered. Exports from Cote d’Ivoire to Japan which include mainly raw cocoa beans, cocoa butter and deodorized cocoa, fell in 2015 to FCFA3.407 billion from FCFA4.062 billion the year before.

It should be noted that Japan has been increasing its presence in Cote d’Ivoire more and more over the past years, through projects and partnerships mainly. In 2015, the Japanese conglomerate Mitsui & Co said it would invest 3 to 10 billion dollars in Cote d’Ivoire in the energy, infrastructures, agriculture, and transport sectors. In May 2016, 18 Japanese firms including various heavyweights like Mitsubishi Corp, Toyota Tsusho Corp, Komatsu Ltd, Sumitomo Corp, Mitsui& Co Ltd, Toyo Construction Co, Toshiba Ltd, Shimizu Corp, and many others also said they intend to develop infrastructure projects worth more than $44 billion.

From 2010 to 2015, trade between the two nations grew by 49% from $160 million (FCFA89.15bn) to $210 million (FCFA132.6bn).