Nepal, Japan sign JDS project

Kathmandu, July 9

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Government of Nepal (GoN) on Wednesday signed a grant agreement for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) project Fiscal Year 2025/26.

The 572 million Japanese Yen (Rs. 534.4 million) agreement reaffirmed the commitment of both governments for enhancing the capacity of Nepal’s civil service through advanced education, JICA said in a statement. Japan has been providing this scholarship continuously since 2016.

The Exchange of Notes regarding the assistance was signed by Ghanashyam Upadhaya, Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Maeda Toru, Ambassador of Japan to Nepal.

Likewise, the Grant Agreement was signed by Dhani Ram Sharma, Joint Secretary, International Economic Cooperation Coordination Division (IECCD) at the MoF and Matsuzaki Mizuki, Chief Representative of JICA Nepal Office.

Each year, the scholarship offers 20 seats for a two-year master’s degree course and two seats for a three-year doctoral level course at the universities of Japan. “These scholarships enable participants to study at prestigious Japanese universities, enhancing their expertise in fields such as judiciary and economic policy while also expanding their global professional networks,” read the statement.

The grant has provided scholarships to 209 civil servants from Nepal so far.

The JDS programme aims to bolster the administrative capacities of young and promising civil servants with advanced skills to become future leaders. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 10 July 2025.   

Japanese embassy hands over equipment to Bayalpata Hospital

Kathmandu, June 25

The Japanese Embassy in Kathmandu handed over medical equipment to Bayalpata Hospital Sanfebagar Municipality of Achham district on Tuesday.

Charge d’Affairs and Interim of the Embassy, Tamura Takahiro, was present on the occasion.

The medical equipment, intended for trauma care and orthopaedic surgery, was funded through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) by the Government of Japan. A grant of USD 66,263 (approximately Rs. 8.9 million) was provided for this purpose, the Japanese Embassy informed in a statement.

Bayalpata Hospital is a key medical institution, serving Achham, Bajura, and Doti districts in Sudurpaschim Province, as well as Kalikot and Dailekh districts in Karnali province. The NGO Nyaya Health Nepal operates it in partnership with the support from provincial and local governments.

Tamura hoped this support will enhance the medical environment, improve access to quality healthcare in rural areas of Nepal, and foster stronger ties between Japan and Nepal.

The GGP scheme was established to support socio-economic development through projects directly benefiting people at the grassroots level. Since its inception in 1991, over 200 GGP projects have been implemented in Nepal.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 26 June 2025. 

Japan visit fruitful: FM Rana

Kathmandu, May 25

Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba said that her recently concluded five-day visit to Japan was fruitful.

Upon her return to the country last night, she informed that during the visit, she held several important meetings, including with the Foreign Minister of Japan, and discussed Nepal-Japan cooperation and various development projects, noting that these engagements were beneficial for the country, the Minister's Secretariat informed in a statement on Sunday.

She also took part in an international conference on senior citizens held in Tokyo.

FM Dr. Rana said, "During this visit, discussions were held on various aspects of Nepal-Japan relations, including Japanese assistance and projects in Nepal. The conference on senior citizens also provided an opportunity to learn about the policies adopted by other countries regarding senior citizens, as well as their conditions and management systems."

A bilateral meeting between FM Dr. Rana and her Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwaya took place on May 21 in Tokyo. On that occasion, discussions were held on various matters of mutual interest and concern, including Nepal-Japan bilateral relations.

Likewise, on May 22, she also held talks with Dr. Akihiko Tanaka, President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). During the meeting, Minister Dr. Rana expressed gratitude for the long-standing support extended by the Japanese government through JICA in Nepal’s economic, social, and other sectors, and discussed the projects currently being implemented or completed with JICA's support.

Earlier, Japan’s Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Akiko Ikuina had paid a courtesy call on FM Dr. Rana.

Upon her return to Nepal on Saturday night, she was welcomed at the Tribhuvan International Airport by Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai and other officials. She had departed for Japan last Monday.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 26 May 2025. 

FM Rana urges for Japanese investment in Nepal

Kathmandu, May 23

Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba held a meeting with the President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Dr. Tanaka Akihiko, on Friday.

The meeting took place at JICA’s headquarters in Tokyo, during which discussions were held on various matters of bilateral relations and mutual interest between Nepal and Japan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) informed in a statement.

During the meeting, Dr. Rana expressed appreciation for JICA’s assistance in areas such as economic growth and poverty alleviation, disaster risk reduction, climate change, and the strengthening of good governance and democracy through its fundamental cooperation policy for Nepal.

She also commended the recent support provided by the Japanese government through JICA in various sectors of Nepal, including the construction of the Nagdhunga Tunnel, the reconstruction and maintenance of the Sindhuli-Bardibas road, among others.

The meeting also included discussions on Nepal-Japan relations, JICA’s ongoing support to Nepal, climate change and its impacts, disaster management, good governance, and issues related to senior citizens, read the statement.

On the same day, at a luncheon hosted by the Japan-Nepal Development Forum, led by former Vice-Minister for Finance of Japan, Motoyuki Odachi, in her honour, FM Dr. Rana urged and encouraged Japanese investors to invest in Nepal as there exists immense potentials in the priority sectors of Nepal’s development, adding that the Government of Nepal is committed to ensuring the safety of their investment.

Earlier, she addressed the annual conference of the Foundation for the Welfare and Education for the Asian People (FWEAP) on May 21 in Tokyo. Addressing on the topic of Social Isolation and Loneliness among older people, she stated that the existing institutional frameworks and legal provisions of Nepal give protection to senior citizens along with key issues and future pathways for action, read the statement by the MoFA. 

Earlier, on Thursday, FM Dr. Rana held an official meeting with her Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwaya. During the meeting, Iwaya expressed his desire to further strengthen bilateral relations based on the traditional friendship between Japan and Nepal.

FM Dr. Rana expressed her hopes that Nepal would receive an enhanced level of development cooperation from Japan in Nepal’s effort for graduating from LDC category next year 2026.

Mentioning that the two countries share age-old socio-cultural ties inspired from the teachings of Gautam Buddha, she further said that the presence of a large Nepali community, which is the fifth largest among foreign residents in Japan, has been a remarkable aspect of the bilateral relations between the two countries.

Likewise, on Tuesday, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Akiko Ikuina paid a courtesy call on FM Dr. Rana and discussed the matters for further enhancing the mutually rewarding relationship and the celebration 70^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Japan.

The Foreign Minister of Nepal is in Tokyo for a four-day goodwill visit. She will return to Kathmandu on Saturday. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 24 May 2025. 

Minister Rana holds talks with Japanese counterpart

Kathmandu, May 22

Nepal’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, and her Japanese counterpart, Iwaya Takeshi, held a bilateral meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of Japan in Tokyo on Thursday.

FM Dr. Rana is on an official visit of Japan for five days.

During the meeting, the two ministers discussed various matters of mutual interest and shared concern, as well as the broader scope of Nepal-Japan bilateral relations, the MoFA of Nepal said in a statement.

The ministers also exchanged views on various aspects of the 70-year history of Nepal-Japan relations. Diplomatic relations between Nepal and Japan were established in 1956, and both countries will be celebrating the 70^th anniversary of their diplomatic ties next year.

Likewise, FM Dr. Rana extended an invitation to Foreign Minister Iwaya to visit Nepal in connection with the celebrations of the 70^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

She also requested Japan’s continued support for Nepal as it is set to graduate from the status of a Least Developed Country (LDC) to a Developing Country in 2026 and beyond.

FM Dr. Rana urged Minister Iwaya to encourage Japanese investors and entrepreneurs to invest in Nepal, stating that there are numerous investment opportunities in the country and that the country is committed to ensuring the security and protection of foreign investments.

Highlighting that Nepal and Japan share not only formal diplomatic ties but also a long-standing historical and cultural bond, FM Dr. Rana said, “The two countries have ancient socio-cultural relations inspired by the teachings of Lord Gautam Buddha. Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, serves as a cultural bridge between Nepal and the people of Japan.”

She further noted that thousands of Japanese tourists visit Nepal every year to study and observe the spiritual and cultural uniqueness of places like Lumbini. The ministers also discussed potential areas of cooperation in the tourism sector in the future.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 23 May 2025. 

FM Dr. Rana leaves for Tokyo

Kathmandu, May 20

Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba has departed for Japan on Monday evening to participate in an international conference set to begin in Tokyo on Wednesday.

She will represent Nepal and deliver an address at the conference, which focuses on social isolation among the elderly.

The event is organised by the Foundation for the Welfare and Education of the Asian People and will see participation from ministers, senior government officials, and prominent social activists from over 12 countries.

FM Dr. Rana, who has long been involved in the economic empowerment and social protection of Nepali women through organisations such as the Rural Women's Development and Unity Centre (RUWDUC) and the Safe Motherhood Network, has been invited as a special speaker at the conference, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) informed in a statement.

During her stay in Japan, she is also scheduled to hold important bilateral meetings. She is expected to return to Nepal on Saturday.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 21 May 2025. 

Japan Vice-Minister pays courtesy call on FM Rana

Kathmandu, May 17

Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Akiko Ikuina, paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba on Saturday.

Deputy Minister Ikuina, who is currently in Nepal to participate in the Sagarmatha Sambaad, held the sideline meeting at Hotel Soaltee, the venue of the event.

During the meeting, Foreign Minister Dr. Rana expressed her gratitude to the Government of Japan for its support in the reconstruction and maintenance of the Sindhuli–Bardibas road.

The road had sustained significant damage due to excessive rainfall last year. Following a request from Nepal, Japan agreed to assist in the repair and reconstruction of the road which was originally built with Japanese grant assistance.

Furthermore, FM Dr. Rana and the Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister discussed various aspects of bilateral relations between the two countries. She also urged Japan to continue supporting and expressing solidarity with Nepal’s call for climate justice on international platforms.

Likewise, FM Dr. Rana has urged the Special Envoy for Climate Change and Sustainability of the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bader Omar Ismail Al Dafa, to intensify efforts regarding the condition and repatriation of Bipin Joshi.

She made the request during a meeting at the sidelines of the Sagarmatha Dialogue on Friday.

The two discussed the situation of Bipin Joshi, a Nepali youth abducted by Hamas in October 2023.

FM Dr. Rana expressed her appreciation for the efforts made by Qatar for Joshi’s release and return to Nepal and requested continued and intensified efforts in this regard. She has previously appealed several times to the Qatari Foreign Minister and to key mediators in peace talks between Hamas and Israel to take necessary initiatives for Joshi’s release.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 18 May 2025. 

Nepal, Japan sign 573 million Yen grant agreement

Kathmandu, May 16

Nepal and Japan have signed a memorandum of understanding for an additional grant of 573 million Japanese Yen for the Dhulikhel Hospital Trauma and Emergency Centre Improvement Project.

The agreement was signed by Finance Secretary Ghanshyam Upadhyaya and Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Maeda Toru in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel and Japan’s Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ikui Akiko on Friday.

Earlier, in October 2023, the Government of Japan had agreed to provide a grant of 3.29 billion Yen for the implementation of the same project.

Following the signing ceremony, Finance Minister Paudel and Vice-Minister Akiko held a separate bilateral meeting, the Ministry of Finance informed in a statement.

 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 17 May 2025. 

Nepal-Japan friendship is pure, unblemished: PM

Kathmandu, Feb. 28

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has expressed confidence that the upcoming Third Nepal-Japan Friendship Summit 2025 will further strengthen the bilateral ties between the two nations.

Speaking with a Japanese delegation and Nepali coordinators attending the summit at the Prime Minister's Residence in Baluwatar on Friday,  PM Oli highlighted the long-standing relationship between Nepal and Japan, which has now expanded to include trade and economic cooperation.

“Nepalis have gone to Japan for better employment opportunities. Nepal’s paper has reached Japan, and Japan’s Golden Trout has entered Nepal. There are numerous dimensions to such strong people-to-people connections,” said PM Oli.

According to him, the friendship between the two nations is pure and unblemished, like the blooming Sakura. This problem-free relationship and development partnership must be further elevated with the support of information technology, he maintained.

PM Oli also noted that Japan serves as an example of how peace fosters development while war leads to destruction. He also reiterated Nepal’s strong desire and active efforts to promote global peace.

The summit, organised by the IDEA Studio was held in Nepal from February 26 to 28.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 1 March 2025.   

Japan government to provide Rs. 423 million grants for JDS scholarship

Kathmandu, Aug. 29

The Japanese government is going to provide grant assistance worth about Rs. 423 million (454 million Japanese yen) to the Nepal government under the Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) project.

Secretary of the Ministry of Finance (MoF), Dr. Ram Prasad Ghimire and Japanese Ambassador to Nepal, Kikuta Yutaka, signed the letter on behalf of their respective governments on Wednesday at a programme organised at the MoF in Singha Durbar.

Under the scholarship programme, competitive young officers of the Government of Nepal will get the opportunity to study at various universities in Japan for two years at Masters's level, and three years at PhD level. The scholarship programme, which has been available since 2016, has already benefitted 165 students, and under the new agreement, an additional 22 students will receive scholarships for their studies.

Speaking after signing the agreement, Dr. Ghimire expressed his belief that the scholarship programme would enhance the capacity of Nepal's civil service. Mentioning that the knowledge and skills acquired by the civil service employees would improve the delivery of public services and contribute to the socio-economic development of Nepal, he said that it would contribute to strengthening the bilateral relations between Nepal and Japan.

Ambassador Kikuta expressed his belief that the JDS graduates would have a significant impact on the development of Nepal and would further strengthen the long-standing cooperative relationship between the two countries.

Officials from the Ministry of Finance, Japanese Embassy in Kathmandu and officials from JICA Nepal were also present at the signing ceremony.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 30 August 2024.        

Japan hands over medical equipment to Koshi Hospital

Kathmandu, Aug. 31

The Government of Japan handed over advanced ophthalmological medical equipment to Koshi Hospital in Biratnagar Metropolitan City of Morang District.

Under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) of Japan, the Project for the Installation of Medical Equipment for Patients with Cataract and Glaucoma at Koshi Hospital was supported with USD 142,568 (approximately Rs. 16 million), informed the Embassy of Japan in Kathmandu.

According to it, this initiative aims to enhance the quality of eye care services not only for the residents of Morang District but also for neighbouring districts such as Sunsari, Ilam, Dhankuta and Terhathum.

Speaking on the occasion, Tamura Takahiro, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy, expressed his appreciation for the efforts of all those involved in the project.

He said that this project will help to reduce barriers in daily life and psychological anxiety of the patients with visual impairment as well as the financial burden on their families. He also mentioned his hope that the hospital will significantly improve its capabilities to solve the problems of eye ailments by using advanced medical equipment.

Since its establishment in 1890, Koshi Hospital has been a vital healthcare institution in Eastern Nepal, serving approximately 300,000 patients annually. The growing number of eye-related problems in Nepal, including cataracts and glaucoma, underlines the critical need for improved eye care services. This project will be instrumental in providing timely and effective treatment, particularly for those facing economic challenges.

“The Embassy of Japan hopes that this project will contribute to the development of eye care services and promote healthier living for the residents in Eastern Nepal. We also believe that it will further strengthen the enduring friendship between the people of Japan and Nepal,” read the statement by the Embassy.

GGP was established to implement projects that directly benefit people at the grassroots level for the socio-economic development of communities. Since 1991, over 200 GGP projects have been implemented in Nepal.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 1 September 2024.        

Matsuzaki assumes office as JICA Chief Representative

Kathmandu, Aug. 21

Matsuzaki Mizuki has assumed his service as the new Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Nepal Office. He has succeeded Okubo Akimitsu, who concluded his tenure in Nepal on July 31, 2024.

Before assuming this role, Matsuzaki served as the Director of the Basic Education Team 2 (Africa Region) the Basic Education Group within JICA's Human Development Department at the agency's headquarters, JICA said in a statement on Wednesday.

His journey with the JICA began in July 1998 when he joined as a Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteer in the Philippines. Over his distinguished 26-year career, Matsuzaki has contributed to various departments and country offices, including those in Laos, Egypt and Yemen.

He holds a degree in Physics from Shinshu University, graduating in 1996.

"Matsuzaki has expressed enthusiasm for working with the JICA Nepal team and reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the people and government of Nepal in achieving their development goals," read the statement.

This year marks the 70^th anniversary of Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) globally, and Matsuzaki assured to commemorate this milestone by continuing to enhance developmental efforts in Nepal.

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 22 August 2024.        

Kikuta calls on FM Rana

Kathmandu, July 23

Kikuta Yutaka, Ambassador of Japan to Nepal, paid a courtesy call on Dr. Arzu Rana, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal, at the latter's office in Singha Durbar the other day.

On this occasion, Ambassador Kikuta handed the copy of the congratulatory letter from Kamikawa Yoko, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, to FM Rana, Embassy of Japan in Kathmandu said in a statement.

FM Rana and Ambassador Kikuta exchanged their views on the various aspects of the bilateral relations, including economic cooperations, investment and people-to-people exchanges.

Ambassador Kikuta pointed out that the year 2026 would be important for both countries as it would be a year for Nepal to graduate from the Least Developed Country (LDC) as well as the 70th anniversary of establishment of Japan-Nepal diplomatic relations.

FM Rana and Ambassador Kikuta agreed to further cooperate to strengthen and deepen the friendly relationship between Japan and Nepal to celebrate the upcoming commemorative year.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 24 July 2024.        

JICA Volunteer programme resumes in Nepal

 Kathmandu, July 4

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has dispatched one new Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer (JOCV) to work in Nepal.

According to JICA Nepal, Miki Enomoto arrived in Kathmandu on Tuesday and will join JICA Alumni Association of Nepal’s (JAAN) Integrated Community Development Programme in Lele, Llitpur, from Wednesday.

JICA’s volunteer programme in Nepal was on a temporary halt since the outbreak of COVID-19 in April 2020. With the arrival of Enomoto, JICA assures that more volunteers will be coming to Nepal in the following months, it said in a statement.

“Amongst the 17 goals of SDGs, each JICA volunteer is working in Nepal to achieve one or a few of its targets. As per the SDG motto ‘No One Left behind’, our volunteers work at the grass-root level with local people, which is the most significant advantage of this programme," read the statement.

JICA also said that the programme's biggest achievement is to promote partnership and friendship between the two countries.

JICA volunteer programme was founded in 1965 and allows Japanese volunteers to work with the local people for two years to contribute to the country’s socioeconomic development, making effective use of their abilities and experiences.

The volunteers live among the local people of the country to which they are dispatched to and pursue their activities enabling them to ascertain development needs from the viewpoint of those living there as well as promote mutual understanding and friendship between Nepal and Japan.

The first JICA volunteers came to Nepal in September 1970. Since then, their activities have diversified in various sectors and sub-sectors which include agriculture, health, education, forestry and fisheries, repair operations, civil engineering, sanitation, sports, and culture, as well as planning and administration.

The total number of volunteers dispatched by JICA in Nepal in the last 53 years is 1,436.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 5 July 2023. 

JICA helps rebuild 274 quake-damaged schools

Kathmandu, May 11

Central Level Project Implementation Unit (CLPIU) of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) has completed the reconstruction of 274 schools with 760 blocks and over 4700 rooms.

The reconstruction of those schools damaged in the devastating 2015 Gorkha Earthquake in Gorkha, Dhading, Nuwakot, Makwanpur, Rasuwa and Lalitpur districts was managed under Emergency School Reconstruction Project (ESRP) with Rs. 14 billion in investment.

The reconstruction was based on the earthquake-resistant type design guidelines jointly formulated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and ADB under the principle of 'Build Back Better' (BBB).

The reconstruction of the school structures is part of the Emergency School Reconstruction Project (ESRP) supported by JICA. The Project was implemented by the CLPIU at the Education Ministry.

Speaking at the programme, Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Ashok Kumar Rai, thanked the Government of Japan for the assistance in the reconstruction of education infrastructure. He also expressed his commitment to improving the quality of education in the schools.

Former Chief Executive Officer of the National Reconstruction Authority, Sushil Gyawali, expressed his happiness over the completion of the project and said that the quality infrastructure is the foundation of quality education as well. He urged the school management, teachers and stakeholders to work to improve the quality of education.

Meanwhile, he also said that there is a need to adopt BBB principles in the remaining schools across the country.

The ESRP was implemented based on designs and structural guidelines which comply with the Nepal National Building Code. All the 274 school buildings are reconstructed with multi-hazard resilient structures – which are child, gender and disable-friendly – to provide an improved learning environment for the students based on the concept of BBB which increases resilience not only physically but also socially.

Besides the school buildings, the support also includes classrooms well equipped with furniture, laboratories, early childhood development centres, separate toilet blocks for boys and girls, solar back up, playground, boundary fences and footpath pavement, informed JICA.

Secretary of MoEST, Ram Krishna Subedi, said that the Japanese support has been instrumental in enhancing access and quality education and the capacity of the education system in Nepal.

Ambassador of Japan to Nepal, Kikuta Yutaka, said that Japan’s assistance contributes to the improvement of education services and earthquake resilience for sustainable socio-economic growth and hoped for further strengthening of cooperation between Nepal and Japan.

Okubo Akimitsu, Chief Representative of JICA Nepal, expressed his commitment to making further efforts so that the children studying at schools of ESRP will inherit a more resilient Nepali society as a result of our cooperation.

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 12 May 2023.

Solar solutions, improved stoves benefit underprivileged families

 Kathmandu, Jan. 31

About 220 households in Mahalaxmi Municipality benefitted through solar solutions and 150 households in Gadhawa Municipality through improved stoves from a project supported by Japan and United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). The two have been implementing a project on ‘Emergency Support Initiative for Green Building-based Prevention and Control Measures for Vulnerable Communities in Cambodia, Nepal and Sri Lanka’ since March 2022.

Two replicable Japanese green building technologies were also demonstrated in partnership with private companies - Miracool for heat insulating paint on CGI sheet in a public-school building in hot climate of Gadhawa and Daiken’s Tametotto low-cost rainwater harvesting system in a community hospital in Mahalaxmi respectively, they said in a statement on Tuesday.

The US$ 452,611 project is funded by Japan and aimed to reduce the urgent risks of vulnerable communities and contribute to safer and cleaner cities in the Asia and Pacific region through green building initiatives.

“Extreme weather conditions and COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to a plethora of issues among communities. Many of these unpredictable and strong weather conditions require countries to take actions, requiring quick remedial measures supported by behavioural change for improving living conditions,” read the statement, adding that poor communities are highly susceptible to such unprecedented weather-related risks. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 1 February 2023. 

PM urges Japan to raise investment in Nepal

Kathmandu, Jan. 14

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has said on Saturday that Nepal is ready to welcome more Japanese investors and investment in various areas including information technology, human resource development and infrastructure.

In a meeting with the parliamentarian of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Taira Masaaki, who is also a former state minister, he said that Nepal had now entered the phase of development and Japan's support would be critical in the coming days. Informing that favourable environment would be created for investment in Nepal, PM Dahal urged the delegation led by Taira to support in attracting Japanese investment here.

Recalling his visit to the third largest economy in the world last year, he said that he was very impressed by the development made by Japan in the field of agriculture, science and technology, and he wanted to develop similar skills and technology in Nepal.

Likewise, the PM appreciated Japan for the opportunities it has been offering to Nepali citizens to work in various fields there and urged them to cooperate in increasing this number in the future.

Taira has the responsibility of looking after IT, manpower, digital space and other sectors in the Japanese parliament. There was a discussion between the two leaders about the easy entry of Nepal's manpower into Japan.

A three-member team led by Taira came to Nepal on Wednesday with the aim of further expanding Nepal-Japan relations. It had met President of Nepali Congress, Sher Bahadur Deuba, and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Bishnu Prasad Paudel, on Friday.

On the occasion, Taira had inquired PM Prachanda whether his party CPN (Maoist Centre) had been more inclined to China while the latter said, “I am the person who has contested the elections four times. Our party is neither pro-China nor pro-India, we are pro-Nepal.”

Likewise, in a meeting with the Japanese delegation on Friday, NC President Deuba, expressed gratitude to Japan for its support during natural disasters such as coronavirus pandemic, earthquakes, floods and landslides.

He said that problems have started to appear in various parts of the world due to the adverse environmental effects and that problems are also occurring in Nepal, and Japan's assistance is needed in reducing these problems.

MP Taira said that he saw a high potential for water resources development in Nepal and said that this sector should be developed with the financial and technical support of Japan. Nepal would be benefitted if the produced electricity could be exported to India and Bangladesh, he said.

Similarly, in the meeting with DPM Paudel, Taira informed that India had obtained concessional loans from Japan for various projects and urged Nepal to take initiatives to take such loans from his country. On that occasion, DPM Paudel informed that there was a lack of resources for development projects and said that he would immediately take initiatives to get Japan's low-interest loan assistance.

The delegation had met with the two former PMs, KP Sharma Oli and Madhav Kumar Nepal on Thursday. It has come to Nepal at the invitation of Bhaban Bhatta, former president and patron of Non-Resident Nepali Association. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 15 January 2023. 

Japan’s PM, China congratulate PM Prachanda

Kathmandu, Dec. 27

Japan has congratulated Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ on his appointment as the Prime Minister of Nepal.

Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio sent PM Prachanda an official letter congratulating his inauguration as PM of Nepal on December 26, the Embassy of Japan in Kathmandu said in a statement on Tuesday.

The government of Japan also wishes to promote bilateral relations and friendship between the two countries. “Japan is looking forward to further working with the Government of Nepal to promote the bilateral relations and friendship between the two countries and cooperate in the social and economic development of Nepal under the leadership of PM Dahal,” read the statement.

Meanwhile, earlier on Monday, China congratulated PM Prachanda.

Spokesperson of China’s Foreign Ministry Mao Ning congratulated him on his appointment as the new PM of Nepal.

Stating that China had noted the smooth and successful general elections in Nepal, Ning said, “We believe that with the concerted efforts of the Nepali government and people and through the consultation and coordination of various political parties and political forces, Nepal will enjoy continued stability and socioeconomic development.”

According to her, as Nepal’s traditional friend and neighbour, China deeply values its relations with Nepal.

“We stand ready to work with the new Nepali government to expand and deepen friendly exchange and cooperation across the board, pursue high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, inject new impetus into our strategic cooperative partnership featuring ever-lasting friendship for development and prosperity and deliver more benefits for our two peoples,” read a statement issued by the Embassy of China in Kathmandu. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 28 December 2022. 

JICA, DIF II sign investment agreement

Kathmandu, Dec. 20

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has signed a US$ 10 million investment agreement with Dolma Impact Fund II (DIF II), a Private Equity (PE) fund managed by Dolma Fund Management (DFM).

JICA's investment will be mainly utilised for equity investment in healthcare companies, IT/digital companies, and renewable energy projects in Nepal, it informed at a programme organised in the Capital on Tuesday.

JICA is co-investing alongside Development Financial Institutions (DFIs) such as the FMO, the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank; British International Investment, the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor; Swedfund, the Swedish development finance institution; the International Finance Corporation (IFC); and the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). JICA’s investment is part of the final close of DIF II, which brings the fund corpus to US$ 71.96 million.

Nepal is facing the challenge of a hollowing out of industry caused by the increased number of migrant workers due to the lack of promising domestic industries and job opportunities in Nepal, read the assessment of JICA.

"Therefore, the fostering of promising industries such as healthcare and the IT/digital sector is urgently needed in Nepal. Likewise, with around 42,000 MW hydro energy potential, the country is expected to expand its renewable generation capacity to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in South Asia," it said.

DFM manages impact investment funds that promote industrial development, employment creation, and renewable energy development. They do so by investing in healthcare companies, IT/Digital companies, and renewable energy projects, mainly in Nepal, as well as by offering technical assistance to investee companies.

DFM will mobilise 108.5 million dollars under DIF I and II. It has expressed its investment commitment in four renewable energy project, three health service companies and six information technology/digital service companies.

JICA said that it has been supporting Nepal’s industrial development, renewable energy promotion, and investment-climate improvement through several technical and financial projects so far. This is the first private sector investment of JICA in Nepal. 

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 21 December 2022. 

Japanese Minister arriving to observe polls

Kathmandu, Nov. 18

State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Takei Shunsuke, is scheduled to visit Nepal from November 20 to 21 to observe the elections to the House of Representatives and Provincial Assembly, which will be held on November 20.

The Government of Japan has supported the elections held in Nepal to date, including the dispatch of the election observation team led by Horii Iwao, former Parliamentary Vice-Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Japan, in 2017, the Embassy of Japan in Kathmandu informed in a statement on Thursday.

State Minister Takei will be the highest dignitary to be dispatched as election observer from Japan to Nepal.

"The Government of Japan recognises the importance of the upcoming election of Nepal to be held in fair, transparent and peaceful manner, as the progress of democracy is indispensable for further development and prosperity of Nepal," read the statement.

During his stay in Nepal, Takei is also scheduled to pay courtesy calls on the high dignitaries of Nepal.

Meanwhile Nepali Embassy in Tokyo, informed in a statement that Ambassador Dr. Durga Bahadur Subedi paid a courtesy call on Takei on Friday and briefed him about his visit and engagements in Nepal.

Ambassador Dr. Subedi also expressed his confidence that the visit would contribute to further consolidating the existing Nopal-Japan bilateral relations.

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 19 November 2022.