Japan eases travel warning on Egypt

TOKYO - 29 June 2018: Egyptian Ambassador in Tokyo Ayman Kamel welcomed Japan's decision to ease its travel warning on Egypt and allow its citizens to visit tourist destinations in it.

The Egyptian ambassador praised the move which comes in response to the embassy's calls for the Japanese government to lift its travel warning on Egypt.

Kamel said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan has notified the Egyptian embassy in Tokyo that it modified its "Travel Advice and Warning" terms connected to Egypt, downgrading its warning from "Recommendation to consider whether or not to travel" category, to "Travel caution" category.

Kamel hailed the step as a good indication that reflects Japan's confidence in the level of security measures applied at the Egyptian tourist destinations, and capability of the Egyptian security bodies of securing Japanese visitors.

He expressed hope that such initiative would lead to the return of Japanese tourists to Egypt, particularly after direct EgyptAir flights were resumed in October.

Since December, the Egyptian embassy has sought lifting or easing Japanese travel warning on Egypt, with the aim to boost the number of Japanese tourists to reach levels achieved before 2011.

The number of Japanese tourists to Egypt before 2011 reached 130,000 annually, a fact that was changed after 2011 bringing down the number to only 32,000.