President Akufo-Addo left Ghana on Saturday, August 24, for Japan, to attend the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), at the invitation of the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzō Abe.   The objective of the conference is "to promote high-level policy dialogue between African leaders and development partners." Japan is a co-host of the conference, with the co-organizers being the United Nations Office of the Special Advisor on Africa (UN-OSSA), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Whilst in Japan, President Akufo-Addo will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Abe, and also with the President of Mauritius, and will also hold meetings with some CEOs of important Japanese companies.  The President will address the plenary session of TICAD on the theme “Accelerating Economic Transformation and Improving Business Environment Through Innovation and Private Sector Engagement”; deliver the keynote speech at the 2019 Symposium of the Junior Chamber International; and deliver a statement at the Third Replenishment of GAVI, “a public–private global health partnership committed to increasing access to immunisation in poor countries”.  He was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, MP; Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen; Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng; and officials from the Presidency and Foreign Ministry.  The President will return to Ghana on Sunday, September 1, and in his absence, the Vice President, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, shall, in accordance with Article 60(8) of the Constitution, act in his stead.