My Morning Routine: Fumio Iwai, Japan’s ambassador to Egypt

Fumio Iwai, Japan’s ambassador to Egypt: Each week, My Morning Routine looks at how a successful member of the community starts their day — and throws in a couple of business and life questions along the way. Speaking to us this week is Japan’s Ambassador to Egypt Fumio Iwai. Edited excerpts from our conversation:

I am an Arabist by training, and Egypt has been a constant throughout my career. I have served as Japan’s Ambassador to Egypt since November 2024 — my third ambassadorial post following Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

I first arrived in Egypt over 40 years ago to study Arabic at the American University in Cairo, where I spent two years under the Center for Arabic Study Abroad program alongside private tutoring. I returned at the turn of the century, and now I am back as ambassador.

My primary mandate is to translate our 2023 strategic partnership into concrete political, economic, and cultural cooperation. A large part of my work focuses on development, particularly in education and healthcare. Japan maintains a presence across every stage of Egypt’s education system — from early childhood to postgraduate studies — alongside flagship projects like the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology and our growing network of Egypt-Japan Schools.

I usually wake up at 5:30am. The first thing I do is practice my golf swing at home as part of my daily exercise routine. After breakfast, I commute from my residence in Garden City to the embassy in Maadi, officially beginning my workday around 8:30am.

I start my workday reviewing cables from headquarters and other missions to stay on top of global developments, particularly in the Middle East. This has become essential given the current regional environment. From there, my schedule is typically filled with meetings, briefings, and engagements aimed at strengthening bilateral relations.

One constant in my day is the commute, which I use to read and catch up on the news. My workday rarely ends at the office. I usually leave around 5:00pm, but most evenings are dedicated to official engagements — dinners, receptions, and meetings with Egyptian counterparts and diplomatic colleagues.

On weekends, I make time for golf, which I picked up during a previous posting in Egypt in 1999. To maintain balance, I usually spend both Friday and Saturday mornings on the course, followed by a quieter time reading in the afternoon. I tend to read history, particularly on Japan’s Meiji era and the post-World War II period — both were defining moments in Japan’s modernization.

Looking ahead, I expect to remain in Egypt for another one to two years before retirement. I plan to return to Kyoto and spend more time with my family, especially my grandchildren.

The most meaningful advice I have received is patience. An Iraqi friend once shared a phrase with me: “Do not think glory is a date you can simply eat; you will not reach glory until you taste patience.” That idea — along with “as-sabru miftah al-faraj” — has stayed with me throughout my career.