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 Bolivia |  Japan |
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Bolivia–Japan relations are thebilateral relations betweenBolivia andJapan. Both nations enjoy friendly relations, the importance of which centers on the history ofJapanese migration to Bolivia. Approximately 14,000 Bolivians have Japanese ancestry.[1] Both nations are members of theForum of East Asia–Latin America Cooperation.
The first known Japanese migrants to arrive to Bolivia was in 1899 when ninety-one Japanese laborers entered the country fromPeru to work on rubber plantations in Bolivia.[2] For the next several decades, several thousands Japanese migrants immigrated to Bolivia for employment opportunities. Most of the Japanese migrants settled in theBeni andSanta Cruz Departments.[2] On 3 April 1914, Bolivia and Japan established diplomatic relations.[3]
DuringWorld War II, Bolivia broke diplomatic relations with Japan. With the exception of twenty-nine deportees to theUnited States, World War II had little impact on the lives ofNikkei residents in Bolivia, especially since the government did not adopt anti-Japanese measures.[2] On 20 December 1952, relations were re-established between both nations.[3]
In 1954, several Japanese residents from the U.S.-controlledOkinawa were resettled to Bolivia. The necessity of transplanting surplus populations from war-torn Japan met the Bolivian government's desire to develop the eastern lower lands in Santa Cruz Department.[2] The new settlers laid down the foundation of a "New Okinawa", calledColonia Okinawa, near the city ofSanta Cruz de la Sierra.[4]
In 1991, Bolivian PresidentJaime Paz Zamora became the first Bolivian head-of-state to visit Japan.[5] In 1999, Japanese PrincessSayako Kuroda paid a visit to Bolivia to commemorate the centenary of Japanese immigration to Bolivia.[3] In 2009, Japanese PrinceHitachi paid a visit to Bolivia to commemorate the 110th anniversary of Japanese immigration to Bolivia. Prince Hitachi also paid a visit to the town of New Okinawa.[3] TheJapan International Cooperation Agency has an office in Bolivia and oversees several development projects in the country.[6]
High-level visits from Bolivia to Japan[7][5]
High-level visits from Japan to Bolivia[3]
Both nations have signed bilateral agreements such as: Agreement for Japanese immigration to Bolivia (1956); Agreement for the Cooperation of Japanese volunteers in Bolivia (1977) and an Agreement of Technical Cooperation (1978).[3]
In 2017, trade between Bolivia and Japan totaled US$913 million.[8] Bolivia's main exports to Japan include: zinc, silver, iron, sesame seeds, coffee, sugar and quinoa. Japan's main exports to Bolivia include: automobiles, automobiles parts, machinery, electrical equipment and motorcycles.[8] Japanese multinational companySumitomo Group operates in Bolivia.
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