Japan-Egypt Relations (Basic Data)
January 2013
General
Japan and Egypt have traditionally enjoyed cordial relations. Considering Egypt to be a very important country for the stability of the Middle East, Japan regards these bilateral relations as the axis of its diplomacy in the region. These bilateral relations have steadily developed through increased political, economic, and cultural exchanges between the two countries.
On the summit level, President Mohamed Hosny Mubarak has visited Japan four times since he was inaugurated as President, and then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited Egypt in May 2003 and then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in May 2007. Most recently, the Summit Meeting between President Mohamed Morsy and then Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda was held in September 2012 in New York. Also there are frequent exchanges on the ministerial level between the two countries.
Diplomatic Relations
| 1922 | Japan recognizes Egypt's independence. |
| 1926 | Japan opens a consulate general in Alexandria |
| 1930 | Japan and Egypt concluded Provisional Commercial Arrangement |
| 1936 | Japan opens a legation in Egypt (The legation and the consulate general closed during World War II and the legation reopened in 1952). |
| 1953 | Egypt opens a legation in Tokyo. |
| 1982 | Japan opens a consular office in Alexandria. |
| 2004 | Japan closes a consular office in Alexandria. |
Treaties and Agreements
| 1957 | Cultural Agreement between Japan and Egypt |
| 1963 | Agreement between Japan and the United Arab Republic for Air Services |
| 1969 | Convention between Japan and the Arab Republic of Egypt for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Income Taxes |
| 1978 | Agreement between Japan and the Arab Republic of Egypt Concerning the Encouragement and Reciprocal Protection of Investment |
| 1984 | Agreement on Technical Cooperation between Japan and the Arab Republic of Egypt |
| 1995 | General Agreement of the Dispatch of Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers |
| 2009 | Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt concerning the Establishment of Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST) |
| 2010 | Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt on Co-operation in Science and Technology |
Japanese Residents in Egypt
- There are 1,100 Japanese residents in Egypt (as of December 2012).
- 27,635 Japanese visited Egypt in 2011 and 2,584 Egyptian visited Japan in 2011(3,589 Egyptian in 2010).
Economic Relations
(a) Exports and Imports (2010/2011)
- Exports to Japan: $460 million (natural gas, crude oil, petroleum products, textiles, etc.)
- Imports from Japan: $1,462 million (general machinery, electrical machinery, transportation equipment, etc.)
(b) Direct Investment from Japan to Egypt
- $3.7 million (2011/2012)
Economic Cooperation
Japan's Aid to Egypt (up to FY 2010)
- Loans: 578.119 billion yen
- Grant aid: 150.180 billion yen
- Technical cooperation: 62.218 billion yen
Cultural Exchange and Cooperation
Cairo is the only city in which Information and Culture Center of Embassy of Japan and Japan Foundation's office are located in the Middle East and African region. Making use of this, cultural exchange activities have been conducted.
- Cultural Grant Aid (Up to FY 2011) ：1.124 billion yen for 26 projects.
Scientific and Technological Cooperation
The Project of Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), which seeks to establish a research-oriented Egyptian national university of science and technology with a Japanese style approach expected to be a central educational hub in the Middle East and the Arab, was opened and the inauguration ceremony was held on June 3 2010. On the same day, both Japan and Egypt signed Agreement on Co-operation in Science and Technology.
Visits by Eminent Persons
- Visits to Egypt
-
Year Name 1999 Foreign Minister, Masahiko Koumura 2000 I.H. Prince and Princess Takamado 2001 Former Prime Minister, Toshiki Kaifu State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Seiken Sugiura Former Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto 2002 Former Foreign Minister, Masahiko Koumura (Special Envoy for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi) 2003 Former Foreign Minister, Masahiko Koumura (Special Envoy for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi) Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi Foreign Minister, Yoriko Kawaguchi 2004 Former Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Ichirou Aisawa (Special Envoy for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi) Foreign Minister, Nobukata Machimura (International Conference on Iraq at Sharm El-Sheikh) 2005 The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yohei Kono 2006 Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Kenji Kosaka Minister of Environment, Yuriko Koike 2007 Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe Foreign Minister, Taro Asso (Ministerial Meeting on Iraq at Sharm El-Sheikh) Former Foreign Minister, Taro Nakayama (The Japan and Arab Dialogue Forum) 2008 Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Osamu Uno Minister of State for Scientific and Technology Policy, Fumio Kishida Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Masahiko Shibayama 2009 State Secreatry for Foreign Affairs, Shintaro Ito (The International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Economy for the Reconstruction of Gaza) Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hirofumi Nakasone I. H. Princess Takamado 2010 State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Koichi Takemasa 2011 Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hisashi Tokunaga 2012 Minister for Foreign Affairs, Koichiro Gemba - Visits to Japan
-
Year Name 1999 President Mohamed Hosny Mubarak 2001 Minister of Irrigation and Water Resouces, Dr. Mahmoud Abu Zeid Minister of Telecommunication and Information, Ahmed Nazif 2002 Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Fayza Abul Naga 2003 Minister of Foreign Trade, Dr. Youssef Boutros Ghali 2004 Minister of State for the Environment Affairs, Mamdouh Reyad 2005 Minister of International Cooperation, Fayza Abul Naga Minister of Foreign Trade and Industry, Rasheed Mohamed Rasheed 2006 Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Aboul Gheit Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Hany Hilal 2007 Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Hany Hilal Minister of State for Administrative Development, Ahmad Darwish 2008 Minister of Tourism, Zoheir Garranah Minister of Investment, Mahmoud Mohieddin Minister of Irrigation and Water Resouces, Dr. Mahmoud Abu Zeid, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Aboul Gheit (TICAD IV) Minister of Finance, Dr. Youssef Boutros Ghali Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Hany Hilal 2010 Grand Mufty, Sheikh Ali Gomaa
Former Minister of Irrigation and Water Resouces, Dr. Mahmoud Abu Zeid2012 Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Kamel Amr
Minister of Tourism, Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour
Minister of Scientific Research, Nadia Zakhary
Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Ashraf El-Arabi
Minister of Finance, Momtaz El-Saed
Governor of Central Bank of Egypt, Farouk Okuda
Back to Index
