Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reaffirmed Friday in a meeting with Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty his country’s commitment to supporting Egypt’s efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East, particularly regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
This meeting was on the sidelines of the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD).
PM Kishida noted that Japan is following with deep concern the latest developments in Gaza and the broader region, emphasizing that the continuation of violence would be detrimental to all parties involved.
According to the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement, Japan’s Kishida further highlighted Tokyo’s parallel efforts to ensure the ongoing delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
For his part, Abdelatty outlined Cairo’s extensive efforts to resume talks aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and providing humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.
He further emphasized Egypt’s steadfast rejection of Israel’s escalation policies, including assassinations and violations of state sovereignty.
Egypt, along with the US and Qatar, has been mediating indirect talks between Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire deal in the 10-month-old Israeli war on Gaza.
During the meeting, both sides also discussed other pressing issues, including the situation in Sudan and the Horn of Africa, drawing attention to the broader implications of these crises, particularly the threats they pose to the security of the Red Sea and the safety of international maritime navigation.
In this regard, Abdelatty stressed that the failure of the international community to address these crises effectively only leads to their worsening, which, in turn, has far-reaching consequences for many nations, including Egypt and Japan.
He called for intensive diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation of these crises.
Egypt-Japan relations
During the meeting, the Egyptian FM delivered a message from President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to PM Kishida, expressing his appreciation for Japan’s role in elevating bilateral relations to a strategic partnership.
Moreover, Abdelatty praised Japan’s sustained support for key development projects in Egypt, notably the Grand Egyptian Museum, which has become a symbol of the deep cultural ties between the two nations.
He also expressed hope that the current TICAD ministerial meeting would foster meaningful discussions on economic and development issues that are of paramount importance to both Japan and African countries.
Meanwhile, the Japanese PM commended El-Sisi’s leadership role in regional and international issues, acknowledging Egypt’s pivotal role as a major regional power in the Middle East.
Additionally, he expressed Japan’s eagerness for the official opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, describing this cultural landmark as a testament to the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Source: Ahram Online