CAIRO, Nov 07 (News On Japan) - The Grand Egyptian Museum, which opened on November 1st near the Giza Pyramids outside Cairo, marks one of Egypt’s most ambitious cultural projects in decades—built with extensive Japanese financial and technical support totaling about 84.2 billion yen in yen loans.
More than 30 years after its initial proposal, the museum now stands as the world’s largest devoted to a single civilization.
Covering roughly 50,000 square meters—about ten times the size of Tokyo Dome—the facility houses over 50,000 artifacts from ancient Egypt, with an estimated five hours needed just to walk through the entire exhibition. Admission is about 6,300 yen for adults with guides (1,150 yen for Egyptian citizens).
At the heart of the collection is the Tutankhamun Exhibition Hall, featuring more than 5,000 relics displayed together for the first time since the young pharaoh’s tomb was discovered in 1922. The entrance hall features an 11-meter statue of Ramses II, which was relocated from a busy traffic circle in central Cairo to its new home at the museum.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi expressed gratitude for Japan’s longstanding partnership, stating that Egypt would not forget “the great support provided by Japan, a friendly nation, for this monumental project of civilization.” Japan’s contribution went beyond funding, extending to technology, preservation, and cultural exchange. Reflecting that, the museum’s front gate bears the words “Grand Egyptian Museum” in Japanese, and artifact descriptions are written not only in Arabic and English but also in Japanese.
According to Professor Nozomu Kawai of Tsukuba University, who helped oversee the Japanese-language displays, the translations were not literal renditions of English texts but were written to be natural and accessible for Japanese visitors. “It may be the first time a major overseas museum has Japanese explanations,” Kawai said.
Japan’s role also included providing technical expertise for artifact restoration. Around 120 Japanese specialists collaborated on preserving and repairing 72 of Tutankhamun’s treasures. Kawai noted that traditional Japanese washi paper was used to stabilize and mend fragile items such as chariots, wooden beds, and fragmented papyrus scrolls, showcasing Japan’s distinctive conservation technology.
Commenting on the broader implications, TBS special commentator Hoshi Hiroshi observed that Japan’s engagement reflects a long-standing friendship and diplomatic depth between the two nations. “Egypt has always been friendly toward Japan, and Japan has consistently prioritized support for Egypt,” he said. “With the U.S. having reduced foreign aid under the Trump administration, this is a good opportunity for Japan to demonstrate its presence on the global stage.”
Source: TBS
