Since then the state's tight control on Cairo University has remained unchanged albeit with some strengthening and softening at different times. As previously mentioned, Dr. Ahmed Sherbini, the current Dean of the Faculty of Arts says "Since two years ago the approval of the President of the university has been required whenever there is a request to publish documents related to Koike." This is an indication of such state control on Cairo University.

An atypical university

In a series of tweets in June 2018 Yoshihiro Asakawa, an agricultural journalist and advisor who studied at Cairo University's Faculty of Arts said the following;

“Some people ask me if it's just a matter of contacting Cairo University about Koike's alleged fraud, but it's not that straightforward as it is such an atypical university. As I wrote in my book “Cairo University-Chaos of Conflict and Peace", it is the military and intelligence ministries that completely control the university. Cairo University was purged by the military in 1954 and placed under the Revolutionary Council and that still continues to be the case. Currently the head of the military dictatorship (President El-Sisi) has the power to appoint the President of Cairo University and the deans of its faculties. Head of departments are appointed by those deans. In other words, President, Dean of Faculty of Arts and department heads who admitted Koike as an alumnus to Japanese media’s inquiry and congratulated her on her inauguration as Governor of Tokyo are the same breed. Former Cairo University President Nasser who raved about Koike as a Cairo University graduate and guest speaker and congratulated her on her inauguration as Governor of Tokyo is now the leading candidate for the governorship of a prefecture in Egypt and awaiting appointment from the President (no election). Presidents of Cairo University who are scholars do not rise to the top of the power ladder but if they are successful in suppressing the university's autonomy and democratic movement etc., they can get a job as the Governor of a prefecture or President of the military’s corporation. One of the main figures who placed Cairo University under military control was Koike's patron, Hatem, who oversaw Culture and Media at the Revolutionary Council. The current President El-Sisi was a subordinate of Mohammed Hussein Tantawi (former commander-in-chief of the national army and acting head of the state after the 2011 revolution). Therefore President El-Sisi is a kind of grandson and protégé of Hatem. In the previous occasions when the Japanese media queried about Koike’s academic credentials to Cairo University, the university responded by acknowledging that Koike was awarded a degree. It is important to keep in mind Koike's connection with Hatem, who has strong influence in Egyptian military and intelligence services and universities. However, there is no reason for the upper leadership of the Egyptian government and Cairo University to go out of their way to defend Koike over the years, no matter how strong connection with Hatem she has. If Koike's graduation (or obtaining a degree certificate) from Cairo University (without completing the prescribed course) was special treatment she received thanks to Hatem's authority, then the question is what Egypt will receive in return. This is a more essential issue for Japan's national interests. What if a Japanese person who owes Egypt's military and intelligence services a debt because of the allegations of her fake academic credentials is the incumbent Governor of Tokyo or has served for many years as a Member of Parliament and as Defense Minister?"

https://togetter.com/li/1239938

Ryo Kuroki is one of the best-selling authors in Japan. He graduated from Waseda University (BA in law, 1980) and the American University in Cairo (MA in the Middle East Studies, 1986). He has so far published 25 books which are mainly economic novels and non-fictions such as "The Bulge Bracket", "Energy", "Carbon Credit Merchant". His latest title is "Rise and Fall of Japanese Apparel" (February 2020). He lives in the UK since 1988.