Egypt and Japan Discuss Strengthening Economic Ties

Meeting between the Foreign Minister and the Japanese Minister of Economy.

On Thursday, June 4, Dr. Badr Abdel-Atti, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, met with Kenji Yamada, Japan’s Minister of State for Economy, Trade and Industry. This meeting took place during Abdel-Atti’s visit to Japan and focused on ways to enhance economic and investment cooperation between the two countries under the framework of the “Egyptian-Japanese Strategic Partnership.”.

Minister Abdel-Atti expressed appreciation for the role of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in supporting economic partnership with Egypt. He emphasized the commitment to elevate economic, trade, and investment relations with Japan to levels that reflect the strength of political ties between the two nations and support their developmental priorities.

During the discussion, he highlighted positive developments in Egypt’s economy due to a comprehensive economic reform program implemented by the government. This program has led to improvements in macroeconomic indicators and enhanced national competitiveness and business environment appeal. He noted that Egypt offers Japanese companies a strategic platform for diversifying production centers and supply chains amid global economic challenges, leveraging its unique geographical location and network of free trade agreements with Arab, African, and European markets. He encouraged Japanese businesses to engage more actively in the Egyptian market and capitalize on available investment opportunities across various economic sectors.

In this context, he presented promising opportunities in Egypt’s new and renewable energy sectors, green hydrogen, and low-emission ammonia production. He expressed hope for attracting more Japanese investments in these areas while building on existing successful cooperation models between the two countries—particularly in the Suez Canal Economic Zone—taking advantage of competitive advantages and investment incentives provided by this region. The minister also discussed efforts to localize industry in several strategic sectors, including electric vehicle manufacturing, renewable energy components, and water desalination technology. He underscored the importance of leveraging Japan’s leading expertise in these fields by organizing more trade missions and joint investment forums to boost bilateral trade and investment rates.

The meeting also explored prospects for enhancing economic and developmental cooperation between Egypt and Japan. Minister Abdel-Atti expressed a desire to expand existing collaboration in transportation sectors, particularly regarding the development of Cairo International Airport and completing the fourth line of Cairo Metro to support national development plans while accommodating increasing tourist traffic to Egypt.

Furthermore, he reaffirmed interest in strengthening economic partnerships with Japan through establishing a Japanese industrial zone within the Suez Canal Economic Zone. This initiative aims to support Japanese companies’ presence in the Egyptian market while benefiting from the region’s strategic location along with its competitive advantages offered to investors.