Next to the three largest ancient pyramids of Giza, Japan’s International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is financing the construction of one of the world’s largest museums: the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). In a world where interconnectedness is becoming more of a reality, the long historical relationship between Japan and Egypt can be used to illustrate how the principles of partnerships and cooperation are essential in promoting development and growth. The first visit of Japanese citizens to Egypt can date back to 1862 and 1864, according to former Ambassador to Japan Dr. Walid Mahmoud Abdelnasser, who were inspired by the Egyptian modernization experience under Mohamed Ali (1805-1848) and his successors that they even recommended some of the achievements they witnessed in Egypt to be implemented in Japan, and for Japanese scholars to study the legal and judicial systems of Egypt. Later in 1922, Japan recognized the formal independence of Egypt, but it wasn’t until the 1952 revolution that the relationship between the two countries came to grow and become much deeper, with the establishment of several projects that aimed to create an impact on the lives of Egyptian and Japanese people. Starting…
