He is in Nairobi to attend the 6th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI).

Read more: Mahama leaves for Kenya

Friday's meeting ahead of Saturday's opening of the TICAD VI Summit centered on the development of trade between the two countries and a review of Japanese support for various sectors of the Ghanaian economy.

This is the first time the Conference is taking place in Africa, and according to President Mahama, he’s looking forward to both the bilateral discussions at the political level, and discussions on boosting the private sector’s role in Africa’s growth agenda.

Heads of State will take part in a special high level engagement with the continent’s private sector and their counterparts from Japan.

They will also discuss the promotion of structural economic transformation through economic diversification and industrialisation.