With a little help from Japan, Tanzania is looking to move into the thermal energy sector. Japan has vowed to train 1000 Tanzanians on Geothermal Power issues to enable the country own experts in thermal generation, reports AllAfrica.

Japan’s Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry, Toshimitsu Motegi announced during a one-day Tanzania-Japan Business Forum in Dar es Salaam that the training will start in January 2014.

More than 200 businesspeople in Tanzania, and 13 private and 5 State Japan companies attended the forum.

Motegi also said the Japanese government will make more contribution to creation of employment and capacity building in Africa.

“In Tokyo International Conference which took place in June, this year, I gave the target of increasing employment by Japanese companies in Africa from 200,000 to 400,000 in the next five years, increasing by twofold the number of employment figures in Africa,” he said.

And Motegi called upon Tanzanians to take advantage of cooperate management training offered by the Japanese organization Human resources and Industry Development Association (HIDA).

Tanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Bernard Membe said that the forum was aimed at forging business opportunities between the countries and focused on areas of development such as railway, port and other transport infrastructures, reports AllAfrica.

“The forum will come up with strategies that will enable us [Japan and Tanzania] develop our business plans on focused areas,” he said.