Rwanda and Japan share excellent and longstanding bilateral relations since 1962 when both countries established their diplomatic relations. Rwanda opened her Embassy in Tokyo, Japan in May 1979 but was later forced to close it in September 2000 due to economic and financial restructuring undertaken in the framework of the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program.  The Embassy of Rwanda in Tokyo was re-opened in January 2005.

Both countries enjoy an increasingly dynamic relationship supported by regular high-level contacts. The highlight in the bilateral relations in 2022 was the Japan-Rwanda Summit Meeting in Indonesia at the G20 Summit. H. E.the President also attended the TICAD7 Summit in Yokohama on 28-30 August 2019 and had a high-level bilateral meeting with his Japanese counterpart. Both strengthened existing bilateral relations and cooperation with Japan.

There is an expanding bilateral cooperation in the areas of the economy, trade and investments, technical assistance and capacity building. Rwanda and Japan have substantive cooperation across priority sectors of transportation, energy, water and sanitation, agriculture, and education. Other areas of cooperation are ICT, space and geospatial technologies. Japan’s interventions are through project and non-project grant aid, technical support, program approach and concessional ODA Yen loans. Both countries are determined to deepen their bilateral relations and cooperation.