As of September 2026, 36 African countries have announced participation in GREEN×EXPO 2027 (the 2027 International Horticultural Expo in Yokohama), which runs at the former Kamiseya site from 19 March to 26 September 2027. Nine of these fall under West Africa in our regional grouping, which is based on the United Nations statistical region classification.
All nine have signed an official participation contract as of September 2026. None, though, has yet announced specific exhibit details. The clues lie in Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) basic data: what each country grows, what it exports, and what Japan imports from it.
In the table, “Signing” is the date the official participation contract was signed, taken from the Association’s announcements. “What Japan imports” comes from the bilateral relations / economic relations section of MOFA’s basic data. For The Gambia, Guinea and Togo, that section is simply labelled “exports” and “imports”, without stating which country’s point of view it takes. For Guinea and Togo, we worked out which side Japan imports from the items listed; for The Gambia, we could only note that neither list contains any agricultural products.
| Country | Signing | Crops and plants in MOFA’s basic data | What Japan imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republic of Côte d’Ivoire | 21 August 2025 | Cocoa, cashew nuts, natural rubber, cotton, coffee, etc. | Cocoa beans, cocoa paste, precious metal scrap etc., natural rubber, etc. |
| Republic of Ghana | 27 May 2026 | Cocoa beans | Cocoa beans, aluminium and aluminium alloys, etc. |
| Togolese Republic | 25 May 2026 | Cotton, cocoa, coffee | Coffee, tea, cocoa and spices, sesame, non-ferrous base metal scrap, etc. |
| Republic of Benin | 25 May 2026 | Cotton, palm oil | Essential oils and perfume materials, foodstuffs, etc. |
| Republic of Mali | 30 June 2026 | Cotton, rice, millet, sorghum | Sesame, etc. |
| Republic of Liberia | 30 June 2026 | Natural rubber, timber | Re-imported goods, copper scrap |
| Republic of The Gambia | 14 January 2026 | Groundnuts, palm kernels, etc. | No farm products listed |
| Republic of Guinea | 9 June 2026 | Rice, cassava | Aluminium, metal ores, etc. |
| Islamic Republic of Mauritania | 30 June 2026 | Not listed (agriculture is named among major industries, but no crop names are given) | Marine products (octopus, etc.), iron ore, etc. |
Countries that grow cocoa and coffee: Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Togo
Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
Republic of Côte d’Ivoire signed an official participation contract on 21 August 2025 (Association announcement). According to MOFA’s basic data, major industries include agriculture (cocoa, cashew nuts, natural rubber, cotton, coffee and others) and mining (gold and manganese). Exports to Japan centre on cocoa beans, cocoa paste and natural rubber (2024, Ministry of Finance trade statistics), and Abidjan functions as the de facto capital.
.JPG){kind=link}
Republic of Ghana
Republic of Ghana signed an official participation contract on 27 May 2026 (Association announcement). MOFA’s basic data lists cocoa bean farming among the major industries, along with mining of gold, non-ferrous metals and petroleum. In the 2024 Ministry of Finance trade statistics, exports to Japan include cocoa beans and aluminium and aluminium alloys. Gold, petroleum, cocoa beans and manganese ore are also among the country’s top overall exports (2024, ITC). The capital is Accra.
Togolese Republic
Togolese Republic signed an official participation contract on 25 May 2026 (Association announcement). According to MOFA’s basic data, farming and livestock cover cotton, cocoa and coffee, and mining centres on phosphate rock. The major items in trade with Japan include coffee, tea, cocoa and spices, and sesame (2025, Ministry of Finance trade statistics). The other column lists man-made fibres, general machinery and transport equipment, and we judged the first list to be the side Japan imports. The country’s overall exports also include salt, sulphur, mineral oils and automotive-related goods (2024, ITC). The capital is Lomé.
Countries of cotton and rubber: Benin, Mali and Liberia
Republic of Benin
Republic of Benin signed an official participation contract on 25 May 2026 (Association announcement). MOFA’s basic data lists cotton and palm oil farming among the major industries, along with services including port operations. Exports to Japan centre on essential oils and perfume materials, and foodstuffs (2025, Ministry of Finance trade statistics), while the country’s overall exports centre on cotton, oil seeds and nuts (2024, ITC). Its area is about one-third that of Japan.
Republic of Mali
Republic of Mali signed an official participation contract on 30 June 2026 (Association announcement). According to MOFA’s basic data, the major industries are farming (cotton, rice, millet and sorghum) and livestock, and gold mining. Exports to Japan were worth ¥565 million and imports from Japan ¥1.464 billion, with sesame among the major items exported to Japan (2024, Ministry of Finance). The country’s overall exports include precious metals (including gold), cotton and animals (2023, ITC). The capital is Bamako.
Republic of Liberia
Republic of Liberia signed an official participation contract on 30 June 2026 (Association announcement). MOFA’s basic data lists mining (iron ore, gold and diamonds) and agriculture and forestry (natural rubber and timber) among the major industries. Exports to Japan in the 2024 Ministry of Finance trade statistics were re-imported goods and copper scrap, and the country’s overall exports are precious stones and metals, ships, and iron ore (2024, ITC). The capital is Monrovia.
Groundnuts, rice, and a country with no crop names: The Gambia, Guinea and Mauritania
Republic of The Gambia
Republic of The Gambia signed an official participation contract on 14 January 2026 (Association announcement). MOFA’s basic data lists services, including trade, transport, communications and tourism, and farming (groundnuts, palm kernels and others) among the major industries. In the 2024 ITC statistics, the top export items include oil seeds and oil fruits, mineral fuels and mineral oils, and sugar and sugar confectionery. Its area is about the same as Akita Prefecture. The major items in trade with Japan are semiconductor and other electronic parts, and engines, other machinery and transport equipment; neither list contains agricultural products (2024, Ministry of Finance trade statistics).
.jpg){kind=link}
Republic of Guinea
Republic of Guinea signed an official participation contract on 9 June 2026 (Association announcement). MOFA’s basic data lists farming (rice and cassava) and mining (bauxite, alumina, iron ore, gold and diamonds) among the major industries. The major items in trade with Japan fall into two columns: one lists aluminium and metal ores and others, and the other lists rubber products and machinery. We judged the former to be the side Japan imports (2024, Ministry of Finance trade statistics). The capital is Conakry.
Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Islamic Republic of Mauritania signed an official participation contract on 30 June 2026 (Association announcement). MOFA’s basic data lists fisheries, mining (iron ore, precious metals and others) and agriculture among the major industries, but no specific crop names are given for agriculture. Exports to Japan are marine products (including octopus) and iron ore and others (2024, Ministry of Finance trade statistics). The country’s overall exports also centre on iron ore, precious metals and seafood (2024, ITC). The capital is Nouakchott.
Four more articles use the same format: North Africa’s four countries, Central Africa’s seven countries, the seven countries of northern East Africa, and the nine countries of the Indian Ocean islands and Southern Africa. For every country’s signing date, capital, population and languages, see our two country-by-country guides, “Africa (1), Angola to Seychelles” and “Africa (2)”.