Japan has had a long relationship with Africa, not just in terms of economic support, but also in providing real development assistance for nearly half a century. At the last TICAD (Tokyo International Conference for African Development) held in Tunisia, Prime Minister Kishida pledged $30bn for development in the form of ODA, public/private funding, and direct investment. Professor Scarlett Cornelissen of the Stellenbosch University Japan Centre in South Africa talks with Japan Up Close about the impact of this relationship in Africa, and what the future holds for Japan and Africa together.