The Governments of Japan and the Republic of Liberia have formalized an exchange of notes to extend the Japan Freeway-Road corridor between the Freeport of Monrovia and the Gabriel Tucker Bridge on Johnson Street. The official signing ceremony took place on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in the Minister's conference room at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Liberia’s Deputy Minister for International Cooperation and Economic Integration, Dr. Ibrahim Al-bakri Nyei, hailed the signing ceremony as a significant milestone in the diplomatic, economic, cultural, and development cooperation between the Government of Liberia and the Government of Japan. "This event today is a manifestation that Liberia-Japan relations continue to grow from strength to strength. We hope to maintain this momentum as we build solid bridges in our bilateral cooperation and strategic partnership on global issues," he remarked.

Deputy Minister Nyei expressed gratitude to the government and people of Japan for their support and partnership over the years, which have been instrumental in revamping the economy and rebuilding infrastructure in the two decades since Liberia's civil war ended. "Your support has helped educate and train civil servants and ordinary Liberians in private business, promote trade and investment, and contributed to the overall growth of the economy and the peace and stability of Liberia," he said. Deputy Minister Nyei also highlighted Japan’s KR Food Assistance, which, over the past decade, has been monetized to finance social and economic interventions in various Liberian communities. He also pointed to the Japan Freeway – the 13.2 kilometers of four-lane urban road financed by Japan – noting that the construction of this road has improved the free flow of goods and people between suburban and urban communities, contributing to the overall economic development and well-being of Liberia. He expressed his pleasure that the Government of Japan has agreed to extend the freeway, constructing an additional 1.9 kilometers of road from Freeport of Monrovia to the Gabriel Tucker Bridge, connecting central Monrovia to Bushrod Island.

Deputy Minister Nyei emphasized that this support will contribute significantly to the national development plan, the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID), which focuses on Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation, and Tourism. He stressed that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has made road construction and infrastructure development a cornerstone of this agenda. "The achievement of the objectives of the five-year ARREST Agenda will depend mainly on increasing economic activities and the growth of the Liberian private sector. We aim to increase employment, reduce inflation, and stabilize the economy through a robust private sector. We are therefore open to accelerating trade and investment cooperation with Japan in strategic sectors," he added. Concluding his remarks, Deputy Minister Nyei reaffirmed Liberia's commitment to strengthening its engagement with Japan. "We want to strengthen our engagement to ensure a closer working relationship and a stronger partnership."