On the occasion of the 66th anniversary of the birth of His Majesty Emperor Naruhito of Japan, Japanese Ambassador to Egypt Iwai Fumio hosted a lavish reception at the garden of his residence in Garden City, welcoming a distinguished gathering of ministers, ambassadors, senior officials, public figures, and members of the diplomatic corps.
In the framework of the distinguished relations between the Arab Republic of Egypt and Japan, Minister of Education and Technical Education Mohamed Abdel-Latif attended the celebration on behalf of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.
The reception was attended by Hany Helal, Secretary-General of the Egypt-Japan Education Partnership; Ambassador Mohamed Abou Bakr, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs; senior government officials; accredited diplomats; representatives of international organizations; as well as business leaders and figures from educational and cultural institutions.
Japanese Ambassador Iwai Fumio gives a talk celebrating the 66th birthday of Japan’s Emperor Naruhito
Opening the event, Ambassador Iwai extended warm greetings to the attendees.
“Your Excellencies, distinguished ambassadors, and esteemed guests, good evening. May your hearts be filled with light, happiness, and good health. Peace and blessings be upon you,” he said.
“It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to our National Day celebration marking the 66th anniversary of the birth of His Majesty Emperor Naruhito of Japan.”
He also expressed sincere appreciation to Egyptian opera singers Reda El-Wakeel and Aya for their rendition of the national anthems of Egypt and Japan.
Turning to developments in Japan, Ambassador Iwai noted that the Takaichi administration had recently begun its tenure with remarkably strong support among young people — a reflection, he said, of a generation increasingly aware of its political responsibility and eager to shape society’s future.
Reflecting on Japan’s history, he highlighted that the country’s modernization since the Meiji Revolution was driven by the dynamism of youth and sustained investment in human capital. “It is this very spirit,” he said, “that propels us to cooperate with Egypt, with the firm belief that we, as actors in society, shape the world we live in.”
Education, he stressed, remains central to Egyptian-Japanese cooperation. “In 2025 alone, Japan’s Minister of Education visited Egypt twice, while Egypt’s Minister of Education and Technical Education paid three visits to Japan. “This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Egypt-Japan Education Partnership, creating renewed momentum for expanded collaboration. Cooperation spans from early childhood education to higher education,” he added.
Egypt-Japan Schools have made significant strides, offering the Japanese-style “Tokkatsu” system while expanding instruction in mathematics, music, and programming, supported by Japanese companies.
Alongside the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), established in 2010, the two countries launched EJ-KOSEN last year — a five-year Japanese-model technical school designed to equip students with practical, industry-oriented skills.
Beyond education, Ambassador Iwai welcomed the historic opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). Japan has supported Egypt’s efforts to present humanity’s shared heritage to the world through concessional loans and by training more than 2,000 Egyptian conservation specialists.
The museum now receives approximately half a million visitors per month. “As a country with the world’s longest-existing dynasty, Japan is proud to be a major contributor to Egypt’s gift to humanity,” he said, pledging continued technical cooperation in the years ahead. He encouraged guests to visit the restoration exhibition of Khufu’s Solar Boat at GEM.
At the grassroots level, he noted that the Osaka-Kansai Expo attracted 25 million visitors over six months. Looking ahead, Japan will host the Green Expo next year and looks forward to making it another success in partnership with the international community.
Addressing regional developments, the ambassador welcomed recent positive steps that led to a ceasefire in Gaza, describing them as an important and encouraging development.
Japan, he said, highly values Egypt’s steadfast commitment to advancing peace in a troubled region, in coordination with its international partners, foremost among them the United States.
He outlined Japan’s humanitarian contributions, noting that Tokyo has provided $240 million in assistance and continues to support efforts to alleviate the suffering of the people of Gaza through three main pillars: sustained engagement in governance mechanisms; support for peace efforts with priority given to Palestinian state-building; and expanded assistance frameworks, including through initiatives such as the Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development.
Japan has also appointed its veteran ambassador, Okubo, to oversee assistance for Gaza’s reconstruction and assigned him to the Civil-Military Coordination Centre.
Ambassador Iwai reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to supporting Egypt — which hosts large numbers of migrants and refugees — in promoting peace and stability throughout the region.
The evening concluded in an atmosphere of friendship and shared resolve to further strengthen Egyptian-Japanese ties across education, development, culture, and regional stability.
During the celebration, Minister of Education and Technical Education Mohamed Abdel-Latif conveyed the sincere greetings and appreciation of Egypt’s leadership and people to His Majesty Emperor Naruhito, wishing him continued health and prosperity during the Reiwa era, which symbolizes “beautiful harmony.”
Minister of Education and Technical Education Mohamed Abdel-Latif delivers his speech at the residence of Japan ambassador
He affirmed the depth of the longstanding friendship and strategic partnership between Egypt and Japan, two nations with ancient civilizations that take pride in their heritage while pursuing sustainable development and innovation.
The minister noted that under the Emperor’s reign, Japan continues to embody values of dignity, stability, peace, and international cooperation, stressing that these same principles underpin the Egyptian-Japanese strategic partnership.
Highlighting education as a cornerstone of bilateral ties, Abdel-Latif described Japan as a trusted and inspiring partner in Egypt’s efforts to modernize its education system — from Egypt-Japan Schools to technical and higher education initiatives — reflecting a shared belief that education is the foundation of national progress and human dignity.
The evening featured a spectacular musical performance by the Japanese drums group Wako Rising Sun, wearing traditional kimonos. Before the event, the group had already given a highly successful concert at the Cairo Opera House.
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