PRESIDENT JAKAYA KIKWETE: JAPAN DIRECT FLIGHTS TO AFRICA NEEDED

President Jakaya Kikwete accompanied by visiting Prince Akishino of Japan and his wife admire a stuffed lioness at the State House in Dar es Salaam.

Dar es Salaam. Many Japanese and people from South-east Asia fail to tour Tanzania due to lack of direct flights between Africa and Japan.

This was said by President Jakaya Kikwete during his meeting with visiting Prince Akishino of Japan and his wife at the State House in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

According to a statement released by the State House directorate of communications, the two leaders held discussions for over 30 minutes.  During the discussions the head of state also appealed to Japanese airline companies to establish direct route to Tanzania or to any other African country in a bid to boost tourism.

According to him, currently African countries receive very few tourists from Japan due to lack of direct flights to the continent.

“Many tourists from Japan are unable to come to Africa because there isn’t any Japanese airline which plies between Japan and Africa not even to South Africa. This is why we do not receive many tourists from Southeast Asia,” said President Kikwete at the State House.

During their meeting President Kikwete also expressed his appreciation over various development projects which are funded by Japan.

“We appreciate your contribution to the development of Tanzania. If you visit different parts of our country you will see various development projects which are implemented with help from Japan,” said the President.

President Kikwete also urged Princes Akishino to persuade Japanese companies to invest in Tanzania. According to him since most of the cars and electronic equipment used by Tanzanians are from Japan it proves that Japanese products have a strong market in Tanzania.