Metro line to pyramids to be built

On March 20, Japan signed a deal with Egypt agreeing to finance the development of a new metro rapid transit line from Cairo to the Pyramids of Giza with a loan of 33 billion yen ($395 million).

So the next time you’re on vacation in Egypt marveling at how convenient public transportation access is to the Pyramids, remember that you have Japan to thank.

The 17-kilometer underground system is expected to begin operation in 2020 and will connect central Cairo with several main tourist attractions, including the Giza Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, a new museum scheduled to open in 2013 that is also partly financed by Japan.