japanreviewRussian Japanology ReviewRussian Japanology Review2658-67892658-6444Association of Japanologists10.55105/2658-6444-2026-1-71-100japanreview-148Research ArticleResearch ArticlesJapan’s Soft Power Policy in Africa: A Comparative Analysis with Chinahttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6602-1806ZelenevE. I.

Zelenev Evgeny Il’ich – Doctor of Sciences, Professor, Director of the Institute of Asian and African Studies

123a, Griboyedov Canal Embankment, Saint Petersburg, 190068

ezelenev@hse.ruhttps://orcid.org/0009-0001-5721-8145KorobochkinaA. V.

Korobochkina Alena Valerievna – PhD, Senior Lecturer, Department of Public and Cultural Development in Asia and Africa

123a, Griboyedov Canal Embankment, Saint Petersburg, 190068

akorobochkina@hse.ruHSE UniversityRussian Federation2026050820269171100Copyright © Zelenev E.I., Korobochkina A.V., 20262026Zelenev E.I., Korobochkina A.V.Zelenev E.I., Korobochkina A.V.Данная работа распространяется под лицензией Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.https://www.japanreview.ru/jour/article/view/148

This article conducts a comparative historical analysis of the soft power strategies employed by Japan and China in Africa, emphasizing the utilization of cultural, educational, and economic instruments to augment their international influence. Moving away from the traditional post-1990s perspective, this paper introduces an enhanced form of the timeline approach in order to examine the development process of their soft power approaches, from the post-war Official Development Assistance (ODA) programs, started in the public sector in the 1950s, and China’s earliest engagement policy in Africa in the 1960s, to their subsequent advancement under the framework of the Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD) and the China-initiated Belt & Road Initiative (BRI).The analysis shows that Japan relies on a selective, trust-based, and human-resources-oriented model, whereas China employs a larger-scale, more centralized, and economically integrated model of influence.

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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest present.