Japan and Egypt have long been bound by friendship that spans more than 160 years. In 1864, some 30 Samurai delegations visited Egypt where they encountered the oldest history of mankind and witnessed Egypt’s modernisation, Japanese Ambassador to Cairo, Oka Hiroshi, said.
The two countries, he added, share the same aspiration for modernisation, while preserving their own cultures and values, of which they are proud.
Ambassador Oka was speaking at a reception he held Thursday evening to commemorate the birthday of His Majesty Naruhito, the 126th Emperor of Japan, who turned 64 on February 23.
A host of high-ranking officials, including Minister of Finance Mohamed Maeet, Minister of Trade and Industry Ahmed Samir, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Ali Moselhi and Minister of Education Reda Hegazy attended the event.
This year marks the 70th anniversary since Japan and Egypt started developing their partnership in 1954.
The Japanese ambassador said he believed education is the key for development.
“Our educational partnership has been successful,” he said.
He referred to the Egypt Japan University of Science and Technology, which was founded in 2010, ranking in first place among Egyptian universities in the Times global university ranking 2024.
Every day, the ambassador said, 13,000 Egyptian boys and girls attend 51 Egypt-Japan Schools throughout Egypt and learn the Japanese educational style, widely known as Tokkatsu.
He praised a decision by the Egyptian government to introduce Tokkatsu to all of Egypt’s 17,000 public schools.
There are now nine universities in Egypt, the ambassador said, that provide Japanese language degrees.
The Japanese Language Department in Cairo University will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its founding this year.
“Over 1,000 of the department’s graduates have been at the forefront of teaching the Japanese language in Egypt and in the Arab world, playing a crucial role in expanding mutual understanding between Japan and the Arab world,” Ambassador Oka said.
As strategic partners, he added, Japan would continue to work closely with Egypt for peace and development in the region.
“Japan dispatches four Self-Defence Ground Forces to Multinational Force and Observers to contribute to peace and stability in Sinai,” the ambassador said.
“The pivotal role played by Egypt in providing crucial humanitarian assistance to Gaza and helping solve the crisis is highly valued,” he added.
He expressed his country’s condemnation of violence against civilians and its call for a prompt humanitarian ceasefire.
Japan, the ambassador said, works with Egypt to provide humanitarian assistance and support moves towards the achievement of the two-state solution.
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