Through JICA, Japan has been supporting the GEM since 2006, in a long-term initiative running through 2025 and extending into new programs that will continue until 2029. “Our cooperation includes the financial support for the construction and the capacity development of the GEM,” Yo Ebisawa Chief Representative of JICA Egypt Office said in an introductory clip about the museum. This collaboration also spans conservation technology, and training programs that would position the GEM as a regional hub for heritage science.

A Strategic push on culture, tourism, and long-term growth: Following the 2011 downturn in tourism and foreign investment, JICA viewed the museum as a central pillar for economic and social development and provided supplemental concessional financing to complete the museum construction.. Tourism remains one of Egypt’s biggest FX generators, and better use of cultural assets — through exhibitions, education, and research — is key to strengthening the sector. JICA’s broader cooperation vision focuses on maintaining the GEM’s value as a world-class museum and supporting long-term tourism development built around heritage.

Japan financed the museum through two concessional loans — JPY 34.8 bn (c. USD 244 mn) in 2006 and JPY 49.4 bn (c. USD 374 mn) in 2016, covering construction, exhibition spaces, ICT systems, site works, and consulting services. These loans helped shape the physical and technological backbone of the GEM.

Beyond financing, JICA contributed heavily to the museum’s technical capabilities: Its support included ICT systems across the museum, Toshiba facial-recognition technology, AGC showcase glass, 3D documentation tools, and AR/VR reproductions of artifacts that would be accessible through QR codes. Equipment such as digital microscopes, portable X-ray machines, electric forklifts, and spider cranes strengthened the museum’s conservation and artifact-handling infrastructure. “JICA has also supported the 2nd King Khufu’s boat conservation lead by Professor Sakuji Yoshimura, who has long been involved in Egyptian archaeology, and has led the prominent Egyptian-Japanese expert team for the excavation, transportation, and restoration of the boat which is one of the major attractions of GEM”, Ebisawa noted.

The GEM Conservation Center — constructed by the Government of Egypt and opened in 2010 now one of the region’s most advanced — is a direct result of this cooperation. JICA helped develop the archaeological database covering 5,500 Tutankhamun artifacts, collaborated on the conservation of 72 objects across wood, textiles, and wall paintings, and supported scientific investigations that revealed details such as the bentwood structure of Tutankhamun’s chariots and the fine quality of linen used in his garments.

The training component was sizable: 107 programs and 2,250 training opportunities for conservators, scientists, and curators, alongside the safe transportation of around 20k artifacts to the GEM.

Indirect support also appears in JICA’s infrastructure portfolio, which include a commitment of USD 1.8 bn fund for Cairo Metro Line 4 — Phase 1. The phase spans around 18 km and 17 stations, including both a GEM Station and an El Remaya Station, improving future access to the museum and the Pyramids Plateau.

With the GEM now open, cooperation has shifted toward operations and management: The support for management of the Grand Egyptian Museum project places Japanese experts — including the First Assistant Executive Director — within the museum to support the Grand Egyptian Museum Authority in strengthening marketing, PR, digital services, and international relations. And more is coming…

…Two major programs have begun:

  • The GEMA Capacity Development Project (2025–2028) will deepen operational and management capabilities through the dispatch of experts covering museum management, PPP oversight, marketing, visitor experience, education, and outreach.
  • The GEM Global Conservation & Scientific Research Hub Project (planned from 2026 – 2029) aims to position the museum as a leading regional center for scientific research, conservation training, and knowledge exchange across the MENA region.
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