Japan-Egypt Relations 
January 2012
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. 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 1,051 Japanese residents in Egypt (as of October 2009).
- 90,000 Japanese visited Egypt in 2009 and 3,500 Egyptian visited Japan in 2007.
Economic Relations
(a) Exports and Imports (2008/2009)
- Exports to Japan: $302 billion (natural gas, crude oil, petroleum products, textiles, etc.)
- Imports from Japan: $1,356 billion (general machinery, electrical machinery, transportation equipment, etc.)
(b) Direct Investment from Japan to Egypt
- $4.5 million (2008/2009)
Economic Cooperation
Japan's Aid to Egypt (up to FY 2008)
- Loans: 539.550 billion yen
- Grant aid: 144.793 billion yen
- Technical cooperation: 57.265 billion yen
Educational and Cultural Exchange
Many major cultural events have been organized in both two countries. In 2000 "The Year of Egypt in Japan" was celebrated featuring, among others, an exhibition of Egyptian antiquities. From September 2001 to March 2002, "Japan Festival 2001" was held as a comprehensive event introducing Japanese culture. In September 2003, the Japan-Middle East Cultural Exchange and Dialogue Mission held a symposium at Cairo University and had talks with intellectuals in Egypt.
In 1974 the Department of Japanese Language and Literature was opened in the Faculty of Arts, Cairo University and in September 2000, the Department of Japanese Language was opened in the Faculty of Languages, Ain Shams University and Japanese-language courses have been organized at many other universities in Egypt.
Cultural Grant (cumulative total fiscal 1975-2008)
- 20 projects 1 billion 76.6 million yen (Cultural Grant Aid)
- 5 projects 37.55 million yen (Grant Assistance for Cultural Grassroots 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
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Year Name 1999 Foreign Minister, Masahiko Koumura 2000 I.H. Prince and Princess Takamado 2001 Former Prime Minister, Toshiki Kaifu 2001 State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Seiken Sugiura 2001 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) 2003 Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi 2003 Foreign Minister, Yoriko Kawaguchi 2004 Former Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto 2004 State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Ichirou Aisawa (Special Envoy for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi) 2004 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 2006 Minister of Environment, Yuriko Koike 2007 Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe 2007 Foreign Minister, Taro Asso (Ministerial Meeting on Iraq at Sharm El-Sheikh) 2007 Former Foreign Minister, Taro Nakayama (The Japan and Arab Dialogue Forum) 2008 Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Osamu Uno 2008 Minister of State for Scientific and Technology Policy, Fumio Kishida 2008 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) 2009 Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hirofumi Nakasone 2009 I. H. Princess Takamado - Visits to Japan
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Year Name 1999 President Mohamed Hosny Mubarak 2001 Minister of Irrigation and Water Resouces, Dr. Mahmoud Abu Zeid 2001 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 2005 Minister of Foreign Trade and Industry, Rasheed Mohamed Rasheed 2006 Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Aboul Gheit 2006 Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Hany Hilal 2007 Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Hany Hilal 2007 Minister of State for Administrative Development, Ahmad Darwish 2008 Minister of Tourism, Zoheir Garranah 2008 Minister of Investment, Mahmoud Mohieddin 2008 Minister of Irrigation and Water Resouces, Dr. Mahmoud Abu Zeid, 2008 Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Aboul Gheit (TICAD IV) 2008 Minister of Finance, Dr. Youssef Boutros Ghali 2008 Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Hany Hilal 2010 Grand Mufty, Sheikh Ali Gomaa
- Statement by the Press Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, on the Results of the Election for the Egyptian People's Assembly (January 2012)
- Statement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan on the Situation in Egypt (November 2011)
- Statement by Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, on the situation in Egypt(2) (January 2011)
- Statement by Mr. Seiji Maehara, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, on the situation in Egypt(1) (January 2011)
- Statement by the Press Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, on the Situation in the Arab Republic of Egypt (January 2011)
- Message from Minister for Foreign Affairs Seiji Mahehara on a bombing attack in Alexandria, Egypt (January 2011)
- Signing of the Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Arab Republic of Egypt on Cooperation in Science and Technology (June 2010)
- The Opening Ceremony of Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST) (June 2010)
- Courtesy Call on Mr. Katsuya Okada, Minister for Foreign Affairs,by Dr. Ali Gomaa, His Eminence Grand Mufti of Egypt (March 2010)
- Visit to Japan by Sheikh Ali Gomaa, the Grand Mufti (Highest Official of Islamic Law) of Egypt (March 2010)
- Exchange of Notes for Environmental Program Grant Aid for the Arab Republic of Egypt (The Project for Introduction of Clean Energy by Solar Electricity Generation System) (February 2010)
- Visit to the Middle East by H.E. Mr. Yutaka Iimura, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for the Middle East (Representative of the Government of Japan) (July 2009)
- Visit to New Zealand, Australia, Iran, and Egypt by H.E. Mr. Hirofumi Nakasone, Minister for Foreign Affairs (April 2009)
- Signing of the 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 (March 2009)
- Mr. Shintaro Ito, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, to attend the International Conference in support of the Palestinian Economy for the Reconstruction of Gaza (February 2009)
- Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Shibayama's Visit to Egypt (November 2008)
- Ambassador Tatsuo Arima, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for the Middle East, to Visit Middle East Countries (November 2008)
- Dispatch of Japanese Instructors to PKO Centers in Egypt and Ghana (November 2008)
- Japan-Egypt Consultations on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (June 2008)
- Ambassador Tatsuo Arima, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for the Middle East, to Attend the World Economic Forum on the Middle East (May 2008)
- Japan-Egypt Year of Science and Technology 2008: Opening Ceremony in Grand Hall of Cairo University (March 2008)
- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Visit to the Middle East Countries (May 2007)
- Mr. Taro Aso, Minister for Foreign Affairs, to Visit the United States of America, Russia and Egypt (May 2007)
- Visit of Dr. Arima, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for the Middle East Peace Process, to the Middle East (February 2007)
- Visit to Japan by Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Foreign Minister of Egypt (May 2006)
- Statement by the Press Secretary Bomb Attacks in Dahab, Egypt (April 2006)
- The 17th Women's Exchange Program Japan-Jordan, Egypt and the Palestinian Territories (February 2006)
- Statement by the Press Secretary on the serial explosions occurred at Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt (July 2005)
- Mr. Ryutaro Hashimoto, former Prime Minister, to Visit Egypt and the UAE (July 2005)
- Statement by Mr. Nobutaka Machimura, Minister for Foreign Affairs, on the Killing of Mr. Ihab El-Sherif, Egyptian Ambassador to Iraq (July 2005)
- The Third Japan-Egypt Joint Medical Cooperation for Iraq (March 2005)
- Launching of the Second Japan-Egypt Joint Medical Cooperation for Iraq (October 2004)
- Statement by the Press Secretary on the serial explosions occurred on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt (October 2004)
- Visit by Special Envoy of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan, Ichiro Aisawa to Egypt and Libya (Overview and Results) (June 2004)
- Visit to Japan by the Deputy Minister of Health of the Republic of Iraq (Summary and Results) (February 2004)
- The Second Meeting of "Japan-Arab Dialogue Forum" and Japan-Egypt Joint Medical Technical Cooperation for Iraq (February 2004)
- Closure of the Consular Office of Japan in Alexandria, Arab Republic of Egypt (December 2003)
- Visit to Arab Republic of Egypt and Republic of Tunisia by Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi (Outline and Evaluation) (November 2003)
- Japan-Egypt Joint Workshop for Medical Cooperation for Iraq (Summary and Evaluation) (October 2003)
- Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, to Attend the Ministerial Meeting of the International Conference on Reconstruction in Iraq, and to Visit Egypt and Tunisia (October 2003)
- Members of the Japan-Egypt Joint Workshop for Medical Assistance for Iraq Pay Courtesy Call on Prime Minister (Prime Minister of Japan and his Cabinet Official Web Site) (October 2003)
- Japan-Egypt Joint Workshop for Medical Cooperation for Iraq (October 2003)
- Dispatch of a Japan-Egypt Joint Medical Survey Team to Iraq (July 2003)
- Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Visit to the United States and the Middle East (May 2003)
- Japan Egypt Joint Press Release On the occasion of the visit of the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Japan (December 2002)
- Visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates by Prime Minister's Special Envoy Former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto (October 2001)
- Speech by Former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto at the ceremony of the completion of the Suez Canal Bridge (October 2001)
- Dispatch of Prime Minister's Special Envoy Former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto to the Middle East (October 2001)
- Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Sends Letters to the Leaders of Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Qatar (September 2001)
- The Twelfth meeting of the Japan-Egypt Joint Committee (December 1999)
- Japan-Egypt Joint Statement on the Occasion of the Visit by President Hosni Mubarak to Japan (April 1999)
- Visit to Japan of His Excellency Mr.Mohamed Hosni Mubarak, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt (April 1999)
- Statement by the Press Secretary on the First Anniversary of the Terrorist Attack on Tourists in Luxor, Egypt (November 1998)
Press Secretary's Press Conference on Egypt
| Year | Month | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | March | 11 |
| 2006 | December | 12 |
| May | 9, 11 | |
| February | 3 | |
| 2005 | July | 8, 14 |
| March | 4 | |
| 2003 | October | 24, 28 |
| July | 4 | |
| May | 27 | |
| 2002 | December | 10 |
| 1999 | April | 13 |
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