President Paudel Meets Japan’s Emperor Naruhito

President Ramchandra Paudel met Japan’s Emperor Naruhito at the Imperial Palace today.

President Paudel is on a four-day visit to Japan. During the meeting, he thanked Japan for its strong support and described Japan as a trusted and important development partner of Nepal.

According to President Paudel, Japan has been helping Nepal in many areas, including education, health, agriculture, infrastructure, environmental protection, and cultural preservation. He said that Nepal and the Nepali people have benefited greatly from this support.

The President also said that Nepal and Japan share spiritual values inspired by the teachings of Gautam Buddha. He mentioned that Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, has helped strengthen people-to-people relations between the two countries.

President Paudel said that the friendship between Nepal and Japan has grown stronger since diplomatic relations were established. He noted that this year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties, calling it an important milestone in bilateral relations.

He added that high-level visits have helped deepen cooperation between the two countries. The President recalled Emperor Naruhito’s visit to Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Pokhara, and Lumbini in 1987, when he was Crown Prince. President Paudel also thanked Japan for honoring him with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun in 2020.

On behalf of the Government and people of Nepal, President Paudel expressed gratitude for Japan’s goodwill and support. He also invited the Emperor and Empress to visit Nepal at a suitable time.

Emperor Naruhito said the 70th anniversary of Nepal-Japan relations should be celebrated happily. He shared that memories of his visit to Nepal in 1986 are still fresh.

The Emperor said that seeing women carrying water during his trek to Sarangkot in Pokhara inspired him to study water-related issues. He assured that Japan will continue to provide all possible support to Nepal. He also said Japan honored President Paudel in recognition of his contribution to strengthening Nepal-Japan relations.

President Paudel and First Lady Sabita Paudel arrived in Japan on Monday at the invitation of the Japanese government. They are attending a special ceremony marking 70 years of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Japan.