The 2nd meeting of the Nepal-JapanPolitical Dialogue between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of both countries was held in Kathmandu on 29th June. Mr. Kazuya Nashida, Director-General, Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs Department, and Mr. Jhabindra Prasad Aryal, Joint Secretary, North East Asia Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, co-chaired the meeting. From the Japanese side, Ambassador Masashi Ogawa and other officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Japan attended the meeting. From the Nepalese side, 15 other officials from the ministry and agencies participated in the meeting. Both sides exchanged views on relations between the two countries, including the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations and matters of mutual interest. They also exchanged views on international issues. The meeting concluded in a fruitful and cordial atmosphere. Japanese grant assistance for the project for human resource development scholarship The Government of Japan has decided to extend a GrantAssistance up to two three hundred andsix million Nepalese Rupees (NRs.306,000,000) to the Government of Nepal for the implementation of the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) in Japan’s Fiscal Year 2016. In this context on 1stJuly, 2016, the Exchange of Notes has been signed and exchanged between Mr. Masashi OGAWA, Ambassador of Japan to Nepal and Mr.LokDarshanRegmi, Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Government of Nepal, on behalf of their respective governments. ThisJDS Scheme was first introduced inUzbekistan and Laos in 2000 and Nepalis the 15th countryto receive JDS. These scholarships are designed to support human asset development in friendly nations through Japan accepting highly capable, energetic, and young government officials to study two years in a Japanese university. After studying two years in a Japanese university and obtaining a Master’s Degree, it is anticipated that these officials go on to become future leaders for the development for their respective countries.The second objective of the JDS Scheme is to strengthen partnerships between recipient countries and Japan by utilizing human relation chains. Twenty officers from the Government of Nepal,who passed the three competitive selection processes, were selected for JDS Scholarship in Japan’s Fiscal Year 2016. They will leave for Japan in this August. In their respective universitiesthey will major in economic policy;industrial development policy;development of human resources and administrativecapacity of civil servants; building of international relations, or improvement of the legal and judicial system. The Japanese Government expects thatall the recipients not only succeed in obtaining a Master’s Degree, but also contribute to the earthquake reconstruction in Nepal by acquiringa wide range of knowledge about disaster preventionin Japan, anearthquake resilient country.In addition, it is expected that theseofficers will play a pivotal role in Nepal in future and will contribute to strengthening friendship and cooperation between Japan and Nepal.