Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Honourable Bright Msaka SC, has urged Malawians who have benefited from education and training opportunities in Japan to apply their knowledge and skills towards addressing the country's development challenges.

Speaking during the Japan Alumni Network Reception 2026 at the Japanese Ambassador's Residence in Lilongwe on Friday, Msaka said alumni have an important role to play in strengthening institutions, improving service delivery and promoting innovation.

He said the knowledge, professional competencies and international exposure acquired through Japanese scholarship and training programmes should translate into meaningful contributions to Malawi's development.

The Minister commended the Government of Japan for its continued support to Malawi through scholarships, technical cooperation, professional training and educational infrastructure development, saying the initiatives complement Government's efforts in human capital development and skills development.

He said Malawi has more than 4,000 alumni who have benefited from various training and scholarship opportunities in Japan, including approximately 150 under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) scholarships and about 3,900 through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Japanese Ambassador to Malawi, Yasushi Naito, said the cooperation between the two countries continues to strengthen through training programmes and exchanges that bring Malawians and Japanese people together.

He said the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers programme, which celebrated 55 years of cooperation with Malawi, has played an important role in bringing Japanese volunteers into communities to share knowledge and skills while learning from Malawians.

The Ambassador said the exchanges have helped build strong connections between the two countries, with both Malawians and Japanese people motivated to strengthen relations through skills and knowledge sharing.

Naito said the alumni reception was also an opportunity for Malawians who had returned from Japan to share their experiences with others and strengthen the network, thereby promoting continued cooperation between the two countries.