Full Breakdown
Japanese Language Classes Begin at Egypt-Japan Schools
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Launch of Japanese Language Classes in Egypt
At the start of the new school year, junior-high and high-school students in Egypt began attending Japanese-language classes at select “Egypt-Japan Schools.” The inaugural lessons were shown to the media in Suez, where 49 students practiced self-introductions and phone conversations in Japanese under an Egyptian teacher trained with support from the Japan Foundation.
Background of the Egypt-Japan Educational Partnership
The schools were created under a 2016 agreement between Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. They incorporate Japanese school practices such as classroom cleaning and student duty rotations, and Japanese is taught as a second foreign language after English.
Key Participants
- Ayumi Hashimoto – Head of the Japan Foundation’s Cairo office.
- Suzan Youssef – Principal of the Suez Egypt-Japan School.
- Farida Said – 12-year-old student who aspires to become an interpreter.
Official Statements & Responses
Suzan Youssef expressed surprise at the strong demand for Japanese education in regional Egyptian cities and hopes that students will share positive aspects of Japanese culture, including punctuality and litter-picking habits. Ayumi Hashimoto said the program aims to prepare students to play active roles on the global stage and anticipates future opportunities for mutual assistance between the two peoples.
Verbatim Quote
- “I hope they will play an active role on the global stage in the future,” — Ayumi Hashimoto
*Data & Statistics*: About 400 students across ten Egypt-Japan Schools are enrolled in Japanese-language classes, reflecting growing interest in the language beyond the capital.