CAIRO - Egypt plans to issue its first sovereign sukuk before the end of the current fiscal year ending in June, Finance Minister Mohamed Maiit said in a statement on Saturday.

Maait also said that Egypt plans to tap the Japanese market by offering new issues in the future.

Last month, Egypt issued 60 billion yen ($489.84 million) in five-year samurai bonds on the Japanese market.

($1 = 122.4900 yen)

(Reporting by Moataz Mohamed and Ahmed Ismail; Writing by Moataz Mohamed; Editing by Alison Williams)