Japan’s Ambassador: Grand Egyptian Museum Is a Historic Global Landmark

Japan’s Ambassador to Egypt, Fumio Iwai, described the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum as a historic milestone, reaffirming Tokyo’s strong support for Egypt’s efforts to present humanity’s shared heritage to the world.

Speaking during a reception marking the birthday of the Japanese Emperor at his residence on Monday evening, Ambassador Iwai said the Grand Egyptian Museum now attracts around half a million visitors every month, reflecting its growing global significance. He noted that Japan, as the country with the world’s longest continuous imperial lineage, takes pride in its substantial contribution to preserving Egypt’s human heritage.

The ambassador stressed that Japan will continue to support Egypt’s cultural mission in the coming years, particularly through technical cooperation. He invited guests who may still have doubts about the scale of Japan’s contribution to visit the Khufu Solar Boat restoration exhibition at the Grand Egyptian Museum, highlighting it as a symbol of successful Egyptian-Japanese collaboration.

Turning to Japan’s own cultural showcases, Iwai said the Osaka Kansai Expo attracted 25 million visitors over six months, underlining Japan’s experience in hosting large-scale international exhibitions. He added that Japan is now looking ahead to hosting the Green Expo next year, expressing optimism about working together with partners to ensure its success.