Africa

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, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Egypt in January 2015 and President Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi visited Japan in February to March 2016. Since then, the bilateral relationship between Japan and Egypt witness a new leap by enhancing the cooperation on Education, Human and Cultural Exchange as well as on the Sustainable and Comprehensive Economic and Social Development.

In 2019, President Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi accompanied by Ministers visited Japan twice for G20 Osaka Summit on June and for TICAD7 on August. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe co-chaired TICAD7 with President El-Sisi. Though high level visits between two countries had been restricted due to the outbreak of the new coronavirus after 2020, Minister of State for Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhy Amer attended the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games in August 2021, and Minister for Foreign Affairs, MOTEGI Toshimitsu visited Egypt to have the bilateral meetings with President El-Sisi, Foreign Minister Shoukry and Secretary General of League of Arab States (located in Egypt) Ahmed Aboul Gheit (Ex- Egyptian Foreign Minister) in the same month.

In April 2023, Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio visited Egypt and held a summit meeting with President El-Sisi. The two leaders agreed to deepen bilateral relations by elevating the Japan-Egypt relations to a "Strategic Partnership". In September, Foreign Minister Hayashi visited Egypt, paid a courtesy call to President El-Sisi, held a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry, and took part in the 3rd Japan-Arab Political Dialogue. In response to the situation in Gaza, Foreign Minister Kamikawa attended the Cairo Summit for Peace in October, and held foreign ministers’ telephone talks in October and November. In addition, Prime Minister Kishida held telephone talks with President El-Sisi in October and November, and the Japan-Egypt Summit Working Dinner during the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in December to exchange views on the situation surrounding Israel and Palestine as well as on bilateral relations.

In July 2024, Secretary General of League of Arab States Ahmed Aboul Gheit visit Japan, paid a courtesy call on Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa, held a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs Kamikawa Yoko and attended the 5th Japan-Arab Economic Forum.

• There are 816 Japanese residents in Egypt (as of October 2023).
• Approximately 11,000 Japanese visited Egypt in 2022.

Economic Relations

Japan and Egypt have long enjoyed good and friendly economic relations. As of October, 2024, about 65 Japanese companies are operating in Egypt in such sectors as car manufacture, electric production, etc.

(1) Exports and Imports (2023)

• Exports to Japan 32.2 billion yen (natural gas, crude oil, petroleum products, textiles, etc.)
• Imports from Japan: 95.5 billion yen (automobile, general machinery, etc.)

(2) Direct Investment from Japan to Egypt

• $73.7 million (Source: 2021/2022 Central Bank of Egypt)

(3) The number of Japanese Companies in Egypt

• 65 companies (Car, Electric Products, etc.) (as of October, 2023)

Economic Cooperation

Japan has supported the development efforts of Egypt since 1954 through grant aid and yen loans and technical cooperation. Japan has put priority on the following areas for the bilateral assistance to Egypt.

(1) Priority areas of assistance

(a) Realization of sustainable growth and employment creation

• The projects in this area include development of infrastructure for transportation such as Cairo Metro Line No.4, Borg el-Arab Airport, etc.

(b) Poverty reduction and improvement of living standard

• Recent projects include provision of support for Cairo University Specialized Pediatric Hospital, and for villages in various locations to enhance their agricultural development and productivity.

(c) Cooperation on Education, Human and Cultural Exchange and Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)

• Based on the belief that the education and development of human resources are foundation of a nation building, Japan and Egypt have been promoting the Egypt-Japan Education Partnership (EJEP).
• Japan has been supporting the construction of Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), which symbolizes the friendly and cooperative relations between the two nations, by providing yen loan and technical cooperation in the field of conservation and restoration of cultural properties and exhibition management.

(2) Accumulated Amount of Aid (up to FY 2020)

• Loans: 738.6 billion yen
• Grant aid: 159.9 billion yen
• Technical cooperation: 89.7 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 2021): 1.133 billion yen for 27 projects. (in the field of archeology, Japanese language education, sports, etc.)

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.

Visits by Eminent Persons