President's official Japan visit begins tomorrow

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Jan. 31: President Ramchandra Paudel is paying an official visit to Japan from 1 to 4 February at the invitation of the Government of Japan, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Japan this year.

President Paudel is scheduled to have a State call on Japanese Emperor Naruhito at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Tuesday, February 3, Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Amrit Bahadur Rai informed at a press meet on Friday. The President will also have a meeting with Takaichi Sanae, Prime Minister of Japan, on the same day.

On Monday, President Paudel will attend the special reception hosted by State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Horii Iwao, on behalf of the Government of Japan, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Nepal-Japan diplomatic relations. Prior to this, State Minister Horii is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on the President.

During the visit, President Paudel will also participate in a meeting with the Japanese business community, and will attend a reception hosted in his honour by the Embassy of Nepal.

President will be accompanied by his spouse Sabita Paudel and high-ranking government officials.

President Paudel will return to Kathmandu on Wednesday, February 4. 

Nepal and Japan had established formal bilateral diplomatic relations on 1 September 1956. The MoFA mentioned in its website that Japanese Buddhist monk Ekai Kawaguchi came to Nepal on his way to Tibet in 1899 in search of Buddhist scriptures. He introduced Nepal and highlighted the importance of Lumbini to the Japanese people through his writings. 

Nepal established its embassy in Tokyo in 1965 and Japan established its embassy in Kathmandu in 1967. Nepal also has an Honorary Consulate in Osaka. 

The year 2022 marked the 120th anniversary of the international student exchange between the two countries – in 1902 eight Nepali students had reached Japan for higher studies.

Major development partner 

Japan is one of the top development partners of Nepal and has supported in large projects like Kaligandaki A Hydropower Project, Melamchi Water Supply Project, Nagdhunga Tunnel, Maitighar-Suryabinayak Road and BP Highway, policy initiatives like Agriculture Development Strategy, Public Broadcasting and disaster management and post-disaster 

reconstruction of public infrastructure including health and educational institutions. 

Japan has been providing Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) since 1970 and senior volunteer under JICA Volunteer Programme. Nepali government officials are being trained in Japan under the Japan Development Scholarship since 2016. 

The size of trade between the two countries stands at Rs. 6.59 billion with Nepal exporting merchandise worth Rs. 1.91 billion and witnessing a trade deficit of Rs. 4.68 billion in 2024/25. 

According to the statistics of the Department of Customs, Nepal's major imports from Japan are vehicles and spare parts, iron and steel, computers, textile spinning machines, photographic plates, methionline, smartphones, toner cartridge and transmission apparatus. 

Likewise, Nepal's major exports to Japan are readymade garments, herbs and herbals, wheat flour, tea, coffee, felt products, dog and cat food, dalmoth and namkeen, hand-made paper, carpets, leather goods and silverware.