Japan’s PM to visit Egypt Saturday to discuss enhancing bilateral ties, regional security

CAIRO – 28 April 2023: Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will visit Egypt on Saturday as part of a trip to the Middle East and Africa, Japanese Ambassador to Cairo Oka Hiroshi has told state’s news agency MENA.

The visit comes within the framework of the continued efforts by both countries to achieve sustainable development and regional and international cooperation and to enhance regional security and stability, MENA quoted Hiroshi as saying.

Kishida will start his Middle East and Africa trip with his Egypt visit, which reflects the importance of the relations between the two countries, the ambassador said.

Hiroshi added that the visit aims at enhancing cooperation between Egypt and Japan in all fields, including the economic, political, security, cultural, scientific, and technological fields.

He stressed that Japan views Egypt as an important and indispensable partner in the Middle East and Africa region.

The visit also comes amid the growing importance of the Egyptian-Japanese strategic partnership in the face of the economic and security challenges in the region, the ambassador said.

He added that the economic relations between the two countries have seen a significant boost over the past years, given that Japan is one of Egypt’s most important trade partners.

Moreover, Japan’s direct foreign investments doubled over the past year, Hiroshi said, adding that the Japanese companies seek to explore further opportunities in Egypt.

During the visit, PM Kishida will meet with senior Egyptian officials to discuss enhancing cooperation between the two countries in various fields, especially the political dialogue, renewable energy, infrastructure, food, agriculture, education and tourism fields, the ambassador said.

They will also discuss the various regional and international challenges and means of cooperation to face them, the ambassador added.