A delegation representing 15 Japanese firms is in Zimbabwe to scout for investment and business partnership opportunities.

The visit by the business delegation is a follow up to the recent visit by President Tsvangirai who is also Zimbabwe's Prime Minister to Japan last month. The current visit to Zimbabwe and President Tsvangirai's visit to Japan last month are designed to forge new partnerships, as economic ties between the two countries scale new heights.

The investors are drawn from a cross-section of Japanese industries and have pledged to invest as soon as opportunities arise. Companies represented in the delegation include Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Hitachi Construction Machinery, Central Japan Railway Company, Japan Bank for International Co-operation, Nissin Foods and Rohto Pharmaceutical.

DEFTA Partners (venture capital), King Swing (water treatment), NIPPON KOEI (general consulting), Mitsui Fudosan (urban development), DIC Lifetech (Spirulina production), Toray Industries (water treatment) are also in the delegation.

AFDP head of delegation and board chairman Ambassador George Hara said Japanese firms were keen to invest in Zimbabwe if they could identify mutually beneficial opportunities.

He said Japanese investors had a strong interest in Zimbabwe as one of the key Southern African countries that have strong potential to experience rapid economic development by 2050.