Japan hands over 240 Judo uniforms to Nepal Judo Association

By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Feb 6: Ambassador of Japan to Nepal KIKUTA Yutaka handed over 240 Judo uniforms to the Nepal Judo Association on Tuesday amid the handover ceremony at the Embassy of Japan in Kathmandu. 

According to the Embassy of Japan, the handover ceremony was attended by the Nepal Judo Association's president Deepak Harsha Bajracharya and Association members.

Among the participants were Debu Thapa, who competed in the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Four active Judo players who are training to target the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 also participated and received encouraging messages from Ambassador Kikuta.

The Judo uniforms were provided by the All Japan Judo Federation (AJJF) and the non-profit organization JUDOs, under the Project for Sports Diplomacy Enhancement by the Government of Japan, the program to promote mutual understanding between Japan and her friendly countries through sports.

JUDOs has been continuously cooperating to promote judo in Nepal, dispatching an international instructor and a world champion judo player, and providing judo uniforms and tatami mats for use at the judo hall. Similarly, support has been provided by the public sector. The Multipurpose Martial Arts Center (MMAC) in Kathmandu, which has been used by many judo players, was built in 2002 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the sister city relationship between Matsumoto City, Japan and Kathmandu City, and was jointly funded by Matsumoto City and the Government of Japan.