Egypt’s Minister of Tourism, Sherif Fathi, received H.E. Mr. Fumio Iwai, Ambassador of Japan to Egypt, and his accompanying delegation at the Ministry’s headquarters in the New Administrative Capital. The meeting focused on exploring avenues for strengthening cooperation between Egypt and Japan in the fields of tourism and antiquities.
Also present at the meeting were Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, and Mr. Khaled Tharwat, the Minister’s Advisor for International Relations and the General Supervisor of the Ministry’s Department of International Relations and Agreements.
Minister Fathi began the meeting by welcoming Ambassador Iwai and his delegation, expressing his appreciation for the strong and fruitful bilateral relationship between Egypt and Japan, which has resulted in several successful joint projects, particularly in the tourism and antiquities sectors. The Minister also expressed gratitude to the Japanese government for its continued cooperation with Egypt, notably in the Grand Egyptian Museum project, which is a significant outcome of this partnership.
During the meeting, the two sides reviewed the current trends in Japanese tourist arrivals to Egypt and discussed strategies for increasing this flow in the future. They also highlighted the ongoing trial operations at the Grand Egyptian Museum and the preparations for the official opening ceremony, which will be attended by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. The opening ceremony will feature a series of events and activities over several days.
Additionally, the discussion included the upcoming “Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs” temporary exhibition, which is set to open in Tokyo in March 2025 and will run until September 2025. The exhibition is expected to significantly boost Egypt’s cultural tourism in Japan, given the strong interest in Egyptian antiquities and culture within Japanese society.
The meeting also touched on the workshop organized by the Egyptian Federation of Tourist Chambers in collaboration with the Japan Tourism Agency (JNTO).
Ambassador Iwai expressed the enthusiasm of the Japanese public for visiting Egypt, emphasizing that experiencing Egypt’s unique tourism and archaeological offerings is a dream for many Japanese people.
