CAIRO-  Egypt has issued 60 billion yen ($493.3 million) in five-year samurai bonds on the Japanese market, the country's finance ministry said on Thursday.

It was Egypt's first international offering since it devalued its currency by 14% against the dollar on Monday, prompted by the flight of foreign investors from Egyptian pound treasury bills after Russia invaded Ukraine.

The Samurai bonds, which carry an annual coupon of 0.85%, received a credit guarantee from Sumitomo Mitsui and coverage from state-owned government agency Nippon Export and Investment Insurance, the finance ministry statement said.

"Our success in selling the first samurai bond in the Japanese market reflects our ability to return to the international bond markets, including one we are entering for the first time in Egypt's history, despite the unprecedented global challenges economies are witnessing," the ministry quoted Finance Minister Mohamed Maait as saying. The bond sale was part of a plan to diversify Egypt's sources of funding, the ministry statement added.

($1 = 121.6400 yen)

(Reporting by Ahmed Ismail; Writing by Nadine Awadalla and Patrick Werr; Editing by Alex Richardson)