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PIONEER NEPALI
STUDENTS IN JAPAN-A CENTURY AGO
The Journey to Japan
After a thorough scrutiny and consultations with the
Council of Elders, the Prime Minister's Office granted
permission to the eight youths to go to Japan for study. A
letter dated March 1902 from the "Munshi-Khana"
(Department of Foreign Affairs) of the office of the Prime
Minister reads as follows:
To The Students
You are hereby permitted by the gracious Prime Minister
Chandra Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana to go to Japan, a
country near China, for study and training on the subjects
which are necessary for the country and as prescribed by
the Prime Minister. You should reach Bombay on 21st
April, and contact Thomas Cook & Sons Ltd., a Shipping
Co., which will make necessary arrangements for your
onward journey. The ship will leave for Japan on 29 April.
Rs. 1,000 in Indian currency has already been remitted for
your preparations. Rs. 6,700 has been sanctioned for your
travelling expenditure (including 17 servants) from Nepal
to Japan. Change the money at Thomas Cook & Sons Ltd.
Another sum of Rs. 12,840 (Indian currency) will be given
to you from Birganj treasury as part of your expenses for
one year in Japan. Change it also at Thomas Cooks &
Sons Ltd. in Bombay. You must deposit the money in a
bank in Japan which pays good interest. You may
withdraw the money every month and distribute it among
yourselves according to your monthly stipends.
According to the second letter from the Prime
Minister's office, all the concerned officials and even religious
heads were consulted before the departure of the students.
They expressed their opinions that the government and the
country would benefit when the youths would return and
use their skills. Therefore they had no objection to sending
the youths to Japan, a country near China. Since Japan was a
Buddhist country, the youths were assured that their 'caste'
would not be affected. "In Japan there are many good
technical schools," the letter added. Swami Giri was fully
authorised to take care of the students. The students were
instructed to report to the British Legation in Tokyo on
arrival and the British Minister was also requested to look
after the students. The students were advised not to quarrel
with anybody there and, in the event of any problems, they
were asked to report to the British Minister in the Legation.
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