The inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) marks more than the unveiling of one of the world’s most significant cultural landmarks. It reflects a story of international collaboration that spans decades. At the heart of this cooperation is Japan, whose government and institutions have provided financial support, technical expertise, and training to help bring the project to completion.
In Cairo, the Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is Ebisawa Yo, who spoke to Nevine El-Aref about Japan’s role in creating the GEM and the deep cultural ties between Japan and Egypt that it embodies. For both countries, the GEM represents more than a monumental achievement and stands as a symbol of trust, friendship, and a shared commitment to safeguarding cultural heritage for generations to come.
“When Egypt first approached Japan in the early 2000s for support with the GEM, it set in motion a partnership that stretched over two decades to shape one of the most ambitious cultural and tourism projects in the region,” Yo said. He added that Japan’s support was motivated by profound respect for Egypt’s unique cultural heritage and a shared commitment to preserve it for future generations and all humanity.
For JICA, the GEM embodies the agency’s mission of promoting human security, quality growth, and socioeconomic development through international cooperation. “We believe cultural heritage is not only a matter of national identity but also a bridge for international dialogue. Supporting the GEM aligns with JICA’s core values of partnership, respect, and knowledge sharing,” Yo explained.
JICA’s financial involvement was cemented with two substantial concessional loans provided to the Egyptian government totalling 84.247 million yen across two phases. The first loan was given in 2006 and amounted to 34.838 million yen with a 30-year tenor and an interest rate of 1.5 per cent, while the second loan, for phase two of the GEM, was in 2016 for an amount of 49.409 million yen for a tenor of 25 years with an interest rate of 1.4 per cent.
These loans were meticulously allocated, covering the construction of the gigantic museum building, the intricate exhibition spaces, the necessary ICT equipment, and the crucial consultancy services for construction management. The successful execution of the project’s construction contracts, implemented under the JICA loans, was recently recognised with a Highly Commended Award at the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) Contract Users Awards 2024.
The decision to use long-term concessional financing was strategic. “The GEM is a landmark cultural, touristic and economic project. It goes beyond infrastructure to touch education, skills development in conservation and museum management, and lots of people-to-people exchange,” Yo said.
He noted that the GEM’s expected contribution to enhancing tourism and job creation made it an excellent fit for Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) Charter, which prioritises co-creation, human security, and cultural exchange. “We saw in the GEM not only an opportunity to contribute to global heritage and the economy, but also a powerful symbol of the friendship and trust between Japan and Egypt,” he said.
JICA’s contribution also extends far beyond financial aid, delving into intensive technical cooperation. Since 2008, it has invested heavily in knowledge transfer and capacity building. It has launched a series of technical cooperation projects ranging from artefact data registration and staff training at the GEM Conservation Centre to joint conservation efforts on 72 key objects, many from the iconic Tutankhamun collection.
One of the most ambitious undertakings has been the excavation, conservation, and reassembly of the ancient Egyptian King Khufu’s Second Boat, alongside capacity-building programmes in museum management and training opportunities in Japan.
Approximately 120 Japanese experts were dispatched to Egypt, dedicating their efforts to the transport, preservation, and restoration of artefacts. These experts, in turn, trained over 2,000 Egyptians, passing on specialised conservation and restoration techniques. A total of 107 training sessions were conducted for a total of 2,250 participants, covering everything from conservation and research science to safe transportation and packing and management.
A key early challenge was reconciling differing conservation principles between Japanese and Egyptian experts. JICA’s training programmes, held in both Egypt and Japan, fostered a “shared understanding of conservation principles” and served as a critical foundation for successful joint work on artefacts, including those from the priceless Tutankhamun collection.
A highlight of the collaboration is the ambitious conservation and reassembly of King Khufu’s Second Boat. Since 2013, the project, guided by renowned Japanese Egyptologist Sakuji Yoshimura, has aimed to recover, conserve, and reconstruct nearly 1,700 wooden pieces of this.
“The restoration of the Second Boat is, without a doubt, an archaeological miracle and one of the most important Egypt-Japan cultural projects that we are most proud of,” Yo said. Visitors will be able to see this work-in-progress even before the boat’s final reconstruction is complete.
CONTRIBUTIONS: JICA’s contribution went far beyond training. The agency has also equipped the GEM with cutting-edge tools, from digital microscopes and portable X-ray radiography devices to 3D scanners, electric forklifts, and spider cranes designed to move fragile and heavy artefacts safely.
Alongside the technology came expertise, as Japanese specialists shared their know-how in preventive conservation, ensuring that the museum’s priceless collection would be preserved to the highest standards. “These combined efforts not only safeguarded invaluable artefacts but also fostered a shared conservation philosophy between Egyptian and Japanese experts, laying the groundwork for successful joint preservation,” Yo said.
For JICA and Japan, the GEM represents an “everlasting icon of friendship” and a showcase of co-creation, bringing together Japanese financing, expertise, and technology with Egyptian vision, talent, and extraordinary heritage. This cultural cooperation is also rooted in a long history, dating back to the Cairo Opera House, a gift from Japan in 1988, which is now receiving new Japanese grant support for technical upgrades.
Looking ahead, JICA’s commitment to the GEM will only deepen after the official inauguration. At the top of this is the GEM Global Conservation and Scientific Research Hub Project, which will tentatively run from December 2025 to December 2028. The goal is for the GEM to build the foundations to function as a global hub for scientific research, conservation, and training for other cultural heritage institutions across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The museum’s opening is a “historical moment to enjoy and take pride in the fruits of our development cooperation,” Yo said. The GEM will not only be a world-class attraction, making Egypt’s history more accessible, especially with projects like the Cairo Metro Line 4 contributing to smooth transportation, but will also serve as a profound symbol of what is possible when nations work together hand in hand.
“The GEM is a model of international cooperation in heritage preservation, promoting education, research, and cultural exchange across nations,” Yo stated. “It will stand as a monument symbolising Egypt’s strength and Japan’s contribution to build bridges of culture, understanding, peace and friendship among nations.”
“I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all Egyptians on the inauguration of the GEM and my deep appreciation to the government of Egypt for its unwavering commitment, strong leadership, and ownership in making this historic achievement possible.”
“Japan has always had a profound respect for the ancient Egyptian civilisation. There is even a famous photograph of Samurai visiting Egypt in 1862, an image that captures the long-standing bond of admiration between our peoples. The GEM will now stand as a lasting symbol of that admiration, trust, and friendship for decades to come.”
“With the official opening of the GEM, we expect that even more Japanese visitors will come to Egypt to enjoy the museum’s world-class experience. Strengthening people-to-people exchanges is the cornerstone of our bilateral relations, and in this respect the GEM will play an invaluable role in deepening the ties between our two nations.”
Reflecting on this long-term collaboration, he noted that what makes him most proud of JICA’s partnership with the GEM is the spirit of trust and co-creation that defined it.
“Egypt is highly advanced in the fields of archaeology and Egyptology and blessed with immense cultural wealth. Our cooperation was therefore built on exchanging expertise between Egyptian and Japanese specialists to achieve the highest standards in the safe transfer and conservation of artefacts, including some of the most delicate and precious items from the King Tutankhamun collection,” he explained.
One of the major challenges early on, he recalled, was the difference in conservation principles between Japanese and Egyptian experts. “Safeguarding invaluable artefacts required us to first reach a shared understanding of conservation approaches. JICA’s support for the GEM Conservation Centre, through training programmes for conservators and scientists in both Egypt and Japan, was a turning point. This initiative created a common language of conservation, enabling us to successfully restore and preserve treasures such as those from Tutankhamun’s collection. Japanese experts also shared their know-how in preventive conservation, ensuring the highest standards of preservation for GEM’s outstanding holdings.”
He added with pride that the partnership was not only about technical excellence but also resilience. “Despite immense challenges including political instability around 2011, the determination to deliver this project to the highest quality never wavered. In 2016, seeing the strong political will and the efforts of the Egyptian government, JICA complemented its financing with an additional loan, while advancing several technical cooperation projects in parallel. These supported GEM’s operation and management to ensure it would stand as a truly world-class museum,” Yo said.
Looking ahead, he believes the GEM offers a model for cultural collaboration with global resonance. “The GEM is not only a museum; it is a source of inspiration, pride, and opportunity for Egyptians, especially the younger generation who will shape the future. It is expected to generate employment, support small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and handicrafts, and promote community development by engaging people with their rich heritage. Beyond the museum walls, the GEM will act as a catalyst for the entire Giza Plateau’s development and foster sustainable urban development in the surrounding area.”
“Through these far-reaching impacts, we are confident the GEM will stand as a monument symbolising Egypt’s strength and Japan’s contribution to building bridges of culture, understanding, peace, and friendship among nations.”
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