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Kathmandu, Feb 2: President Ram Chandra Paudel left for an official visit to Japan on Sunday night, leading a Nepali delegation at the invitation of the Japanese government to mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Nepal and Japan.

Before departing, President Paudel assigned routine presidential duties to Vice President Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav. He was seen off at Tribhuvan International Airport by the vice president, Prime Minister Sushila Karki, cabinet ministers, senior government officials, security chiefs, and the Japanese ambassador to Nepal.

The delegation includes First Lady Sabita Paudel, senior government officials, and staff from the Office of the President. President Paudel is scheduled to return home on Feb 3.

During the visit, President Paudel will attend a special reception hosted by the Japanese government to commemorate 70 years of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Japan. On Feb 2, he is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Emperor Naruhito at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
On the same day, President Paudel will also hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Japan’s state minister for foreign affairs, Iwao Horii, will separately meet the Nepali president. The program also includes an interaction with the Japanese business community and a reception hosted by the Nepali Embassy in Tokyo.

Nepal-Japan relations trace back to the late 18th century and became formal with the establishment of diplomatic ties on Sept 1, 1956. Nepal opened its embassy in Tokyo in 1965, while Japan established its embassy in Kathmandu in 1967. Nepal also maintains an honorary consulate in Osaka.

Japan has supported Nepal’s social and economic development since 1954 through grants, concessional loans, and technical assistance. Key projects include the Sindhuli Road, the Kulekhani I and II hydropower plants, the Kali Gandaki A, the Udayapur Cement Factory, and the Melamchi Water Supply Project. Ongoing support covers projects such as the Nagdhunga Tunnel, water supply improvements, and road junction upgrades.

People’s News Monitoring Service