Arigato, Nippon: Japan has pledged JPY 18.6 bn (USD 170 mn) in yen-denominated loans to Egypt to build facilities to implement Japanese-style education, according to Japan Times. This followed the meeting between Japan’s Foreign Minister Taro Kono and President Abdel Fattah El Sisi at which Kono also pledged JPY 1 bn to support the Japan-backed Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology. Kono also expressed support for Egypt’s effort to restart Middle East peace talks, expressed Tokyo’s intention to cooperate with Cairo in the efforts to restart the peace talks, and said Japan will actively contribute to regional peace and stability, according to an Ittihadiya statement (pdf).

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