Kenyan President William Ruto left Nairobi on Monday for Yokohama to attend the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, which opens on 20 August and runs through 22 August. The summit, co-hosted by Japan, the United Nations and the World Bank, will bring together Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and dozens of African heads of state. A State House statement said Ruto will hold bilateral talks with Ishiba aimed at expanding trade, investment and development cooperation. Japan’s cumulative support to Kenya has surpassed KSh600 billion, making the country the largest recipient of Japanese aid in Africa. Discussions are expected to cover major infrastructure projects including the Mombasa Port expansion, the Mombasa Port Area Road Development and the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone, as well as urban transport, agriculture and climate initiatives. TICAD’s agenda has evolved from traditional development assistance toward mobilising private capital in Africa, a shift Japanese officials describe as a way to differentiate the country’s engagement from China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The three-day meeting will also examine proposals for a new Indo-Africa economic corridor and consider stronger trade frameworks such as a potential Japan–Africa free-trade agreement.