CAIRO – 1 November 2025: Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty received Ms. KUNIMITSU Aya, the special envoy of the Japanese Prime Minister TAKAICHI Sanae, who is on a two-day official visit to Egypt to attend the opening ceremony of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Egypt
At the beginning of the meeting, Abdelatty welcomed her and congratulated her on assuming her new post, besides expressing his gratitude and appreciation to Japan for its great support for the construction of the Grand Egyptian Museum. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is main funder of the GEM as it provided two soft loans totaling around $$800 million to cover construction and associated costs, according to JICA data.
Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to the strategic partnership with Japan, launched in 2023, underscoring the importance of building on the momentum generated by recent high-level meetings between the two countries. He particularly referred to the discussions held on the sidelines of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in August 2025, attended by Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly.
Abdelatty emphasized the need to convene a strategic dialogue session between Egypt and Japan to continue consultations on regional and international issues of mutual interest and to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in the economic, industrial, and developmental fields.
The Foreign Minister highlighted Egypt’s strong interest in deepening its economic partnership with Japan, especially in attracting Japanese investments to vital sectors such as infrastructure. He discussed technology transfer, industrial localization, and facilitating Japanese companies’ ability to export to Africa, the Middle East, and Europe under preferential terms made possible by Egypt’s network of free trade agreements.
For more than two decades, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been a cornerstone partner in transforming this dream into reality, a symbol of collaboration and mutual understanding between nations. In an exclusive conversation with Ebisawa Yu, JICA’s Chief Representative in Egypt, he shared insights into the museum’s remarkable journey, the pride of seeing it completed, and the depth of the Egyptian-Japanese partnership that combined Japan’s advanced expertise with Egypt’s creative vision to present the world with a masterpiece that bridges the genius of the past with the spirit of the present.
Today, the eyes of the world turn to Egypt on a momentous historical occasion worthy of the grandeur of its Pharaonic civilization, as the world now witnesses the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, a monumental edifice that embodies the continuity of an enduring civilization, bridging the past, present, and future.
This global event is graced by high-level delegations, heads of state and government, and distinguished cultural figures from across the world.
The Grand Egyptian Museum, spanning 117 acres, stands as the world’s largest archaeological museum and a living link between Egypt’s ancient legacy and its modern identity. Its vast structure, crowned by a 600-meter-wide façade, houses over 57,000 artifacts that chronicle Egypt’s civilization. Highlights include the world’s first hanging obelisk, the cartouche of Ramses II displayed for the first time in 3,500 years, and the majestic Grand Staircase adorned with statues of Egypt’s kings. The museum also showcases the complete Tutankhamun Collection - over 5,500 treasures from the boy king’s tomb - alongside King Khufu’s solar boats, symbolizing ancient Egypt’s brilliance in art, engineering, and spirituality.
Sat, Nov. 1, 2025
