When he leaves Egypt later this month, he'll have every reason to be proud of his track record. Over the 40 months he has spent here as Ambassador of Japan in Cairo, Kaoru Ishikawa has travelled widely in this country to which he was first posted as a second secretary in June 1972. "I am delighted that the Egyptian leadership as well as the people in the street have offered me such warm friendship," says Ishikawa. "I hope I don't sound arrogant or presumptuous when I say that, thanks to the support of my friends here, I have achieved many things in Egypt." To many Egyptians ��" officials and laymen alike ��" Ishikawa is a popular figure with his beaming face and diligent attitude. During his tenure, ties between Egypt and Japan have gathered impressive momentum with co-operation projects launched in the areas of healthcare, water resources, agriculture, the environment, energy, transport and culture. The Nile-side Cairo Opera House stands as an epitome of this co-operation, which Ishikawa prefers to describe as "the humble hand of solidarity". All this has been pursued without much fanfare. "We never impose our way of thinking on others. We humbly offer options. If the other side accepts them, then alhamdilillah," he says on a modest note, trying out his Arabic. "Here is the big difference between the Japanese philosophy and the philosophy of others in the international community," he explained in an interview with the Egyptian Mail. Having joined Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1972 after studying in Tokyo and Paris, Ishikawa served in several parts of the world, including Geneva and Kinshasa. In 2002, he became the Deputy Director-General, Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau, and the Director-General, Multilateral Co-operation Department. The Japanese diplomat has a particular admiration for Old Cairo. "It is living proof of the harmonious fusion of different cultures," he said with a broad smile. "Whenever Japanese politicians come to Egypt, I like to take them to Old Cairo where Africa's oldest mosque, the Hanging Church and the Ben Ezra Synagogue all stand. I tell them: ‘For thousands and thousands of years, people have been living in peace and harmony. This is the Middle East. Don't believe the reports full of prejudices'." In his residence in the leafy Garden City district of Cairo, Ishikawa is proud of some exquisitely crafted items made by street children in whose welfare he has been particularly interested. He even organised a sports day for them. But, with his characteristic modesty, he is quick to point out that Egyptian non-governmental organisations have helped him. "I've mixed with mentally challenged children and young people," he recalls fondly. Nicknamed the ‘People's Man', Ishikawa deeply believes in the wonders ordinary people can do if their potential is tapped. "In Egypt, Japan and any other country, ordinary people are the true treasure. In Japan, we have a proverb, which says that the real castle for any lord is not the castle itself but the people," he explained. He believes that Egypt is lucky because the latest census shows that 65 per cent of its people are under 30 years old. "This is a concrete symbol of dynamism." Ishikawa's next call of port is Canada. As he is leaving Egypt, he is particularly happy that one of his dreams has come true. Last month, Egyptian and Japanese officials celebrated the launching of the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), one of the main projects carried out under Japan's Official Development Assistance Programme. The first Japanese university in the Middle East and Africa, E-JUST is located in Bourg el-Arab near the coastal city of Alexandria. E-JUST, which features graduate and undergraduate programmes, is currently operating at a temporary location in the Mubarak City for Scientific Research and Technology Applications in Alexandria. Its campus is expected to be completed in five years' time. Last February, around 30 Egyptian post-graduate students started their studies at the university in three programmes, namely electronics and communications engineering, mechatronics and robotics engineering, and energy resources and environmental engineering. Other programmes to be taught later at E-JUST will include industrial and manufacturing engineering, materials science and engineering, as well as chemical and petrochemical engineering. Such disciplines are breaking new ground for academic education in Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country. "Egypt and Japan have recruited top-level professors for this university," stressed Ishikawa, the author of several books, including Nation Building and Development Assistance in Africa and Africa no hi (African Fire) in Japanese. He is also co-author of Togo EC no subete (On EC Integration), also in Japanese; New Directions in Global Governance: New Directions in Global Political Governance; and External Factors for Asian Development. "During my three years and four months living and working in Cairo, culture has always been at my heart," he said. The Japan Culture Foundation in Cairo holds film shows, artistic gatherings, operatic performances and Japanese-language courses activities that attract many young Egyptians. With technical help from Japan, Egypt's First Lady Mrs Suzanne Mubarak inaugurated three weeks ago a conservation centre attached to the Grand Egyptian Museum, planned near the Giza Pyramids. "This is the software side of the museum," noted Ishikawa. "Culture is one of the most important pillars of co-operation between Egypt and Japan, because the two countries face almost the same challenge of how to preserve their culture and civilisation in the face of this tsunami of globalisation." As he is packing up, Ishikawa makes no bones about the fact that he'll miss "the beautiful smiles of the Egyptians and the sunshine of this friendly country".
