Remarks by Ambassador Tsutomu Hiraoka
2021/3/22
The Right Honorable Mr. Subash Nemwang, Speaker of House of Representatives,
The Right Honorable Mr. Dilip Kumar Paudel, Chief Justice,
Honorable Mr. Ram Chandra Paudel, Convener of Nepal-Japan Parliamentarians Friendship Association,
Honorable Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat, Minister of Finance,
Honorable Members of the Council of Ministers and Members of the Parliament,
Honorable Mr. Tadahiko Ito, Member of the House of Representatives of Japan,
Honorable Mr. Takashi Yano, Member of the House of Representatives of Japan,
Mr. Toshiki Nikai, son and Executive Assistant of the Chairman of Japan-Nepal Parliamentarians Friendship League
Mr. Toshiro Nikai, Minister of Economic, Trade and Industry,
Honorable Former Prime Ministers,
Honorable Former Foreign Ministers,
Their Excellencies Former Ambassadors of Nepal to Japan,
Distinguished Guests from the Government, Military, Business Circle and Media,
Friends from Nepal-Japan Friendship Associations,
Distinguished Guests,
I would like to extend my heartfelt welcome to all the guests to this special ceremony of the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and Nepal. We are greatly honoured to have the presence of such dignitary guests today. My sincere gratitude goes to every guest for coming today. I would like especially to extend my gratitude to the Right Honorable Speaker of the House of Representatives Mr. Subash Nemwang, the Right Honorable Chief Justice Mr. Dilip Kumar Paudel, Honorable President of Nepal-Japan Parliamentarians Friendship Association Mr. Ram Chandra Paudel and Honorable Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat, and Members of the Council of Ministers for taking time to attend this ceremony. I also wish to thank Mr. Ito, Mr. Yano, Members of Parliament of Japan and Mr. Nikai who came all the way from Japan to attend this ceremony to show the support of Japanese people towards Japan-Nepal relations.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On today's date in 1956, Notes agreeing to establish diplomatic relations between Japan and Nepal at Ambassadorial level were exchanged in New Delhi between H.E. Mr. Seijiro Yoshizawa, Ambassador of Japan to India and Mr. Bharat Raj Rajbhandari, Charge d'Affaires a.i. of Nepal to India. Respective Ambassadors in New Delhi, Their Excellencies Mr. Seijiro Yoshizawa and Mr. Daman Shumsher Rana, were accredited to each other's country as Ambassadors, pending the appointment of residential Ambassadors.
Later, Nepalese Embassy was established in Tokyo in 1965 and H. E. Mr. Bharat Raj Rajbhandari was appointed as Ambassador of Nepal to Japan. Similarly, Japanese Embassy was established in Kathmandu in February 1968 and H.E. Mr. Hidemichi Kira assumed his office as the first residential Ambassador of Japan to Nepal.
However, I must point out that the history of our friendly and cordial relations stretches back over a century. Since long before the establishment of diplomatic relations, in 1899, Rev. Ekai Kawaguchi, the first recorded Japanese visitor to Nepal, entered this Himalayan nation on his way to Tibet in search of holy Buddhist scriptures. At that time, Rev. Kawaguchi wrote a long letter to Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher Rana which is still well preserved in the Madan Pustakalaya.
In the letter, he propounded the unity of Asia and Pan-Asianism and described Nepal as the birthplace of Lord Gautam Buddha, who spread the precious teaching of "Enlightenment and Moderation." Rev. Ekai Kawaguchi who was accorded great hospitality by Nepal, believed that Nepal deserved the opportunity to benefit from Japanese science and technology, and offered several suggestions for the development of the country, in the areas of education, political and financial administration, industrial development and the building of socio-economic infrastructure. Rev. Kawaguchi was thus the first Japanese to consider the possibility of extending Japanese cooperation in the development of Nepal.
Three years later, in 1902, the Government of Nepal sent eight promising young students to Japan to study various courses in Engineering and Technology. They returned to Nepal in 1905 and rendered useful and important services in the development of Nepal.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Relations between Japan and Nepal have always remained very cordial and friendly and are becoming closer year after year as the government and the people of both countries are eager to further develop this relations for mutual benefits as well as for peace and prosperity in the region. Both of our countries share the value of democracy, fundamental Human Rights, peace and prosperity. There exist thick layers of exchanges between our two people.
Our bilateral relationship has been further deepened by the exchanges of high level visits. Right Honorable Prime Minister Mr. Girija Prasad Koirala paid an official working visit to Japan in 1998 as the first democratically elected Prime Minister of Nepal. Similarly, in the year 2000, H. E. Mr. Yoshiro Mori visited this beautiful country as the first Japanese Prime Minister to visit Nepal. Also Honorable Mr. Sher Bahadur Deuba, former Prime Minister and Honorable Mr. Madhav Kumar Nepal, former Deputy Prime Minister have visited Japan on the invitation of the Government of Japan. There has been frequent exchange of visits by Imperial Families of Japan and Royal Families of Nepal, both Their Majesties and Their Highness the Crown Prince have paid visit to each other's country. Also I should mention that there are many dignitaries in today's function who have paid visit to Japan with fruitful results.
Japan, being a close friend and reliable development partner, has been continuously extending economic and technical cooperation for the upliftment of socio-economic development of Nepal covering the field of health, education, energy, transport, drinking water, environmental conservation as well as other fields requiring development. Japan's economic assistance to Nepal began with the acceptance of several Nepali trainees under the Colombo Plan in 1954. Since then, it has continuously expanded. Until Japan's Fiscal Year 2004, the Government of Japan has provided a total assistance of 281 billion yen to Nepal which consists of grants 165 billion yen, technical cooperation 51 billion yen and loans 64 billion yen.
In recent years, a large number of Nepalese students have been receiving opportunities of higher education in Japan under government and non-government scholarship programs. Many youths, students and scholars also have been visiting Japan through various academic exchange programs.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
To celebrate the 50th anniversary, various programs are presented throughout the year with recognition that 50 years of friendship is indeed an epoch-making achievement and with determination to build a new chapter of friendship for another 50 years and beyond. The Golden Jubilee Celebration programs organized include exhibitions, concerts, opera evening, symposium, film festival, book launching to name a few.
Today's ceremony is the centre piece of these series of celebrations. As 50 years ago today, on September first, Notes agreeing to establish diplomatic relations were signed with determination to develop friendship between our two countries. It has been well preserved and today we enjoy unblemished friendship. It is my hope to work together with people of both countries to make ties and friendship between Japan and Nepal ever more stronger and pass it on to future generations.
Today, at the later part of the ceremony, you can enjoy the traditional Japanese music, Koto, Shakuhachi and Sho. Famous Nepalese Musicians will be performing together. The Japanese artists have come here all the way from Japan to perform their music to celebrate this happy occasion of the golden jubilee with the people of Nepal.
Last, but not the least, I wish to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to all the guests as well as those who could not come today for continued cooperation and contribution in strengthening friendship and ties between our two countries. I wish the friendship and cooperative relations that so happily exist between Japan and Nepal will grow ever more in the many many years to come.
Long live Japan-Nepal friendship.
Thank you.
The Right Honorable Mr. Dilip Kumar Paudel, Chief Justice,
Honorable Mr. Ram Chandra Paudel, Convener of Nepal-Japan Parliamentarians Friendship Association,
Honorable Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat, Minister of Finance,
Honorable Members of the Council of Ministers and Members of the Parliament,
Honorable Mr. Tadahiko Ito, Member of the House of Representatives of Japan,
Honorable Mr. Takashi Yano, Member of the House of Representatives of Japan,
Mr. Toshiki Nikai, son and Executive Assistant of the Chairman of Japan-Nepal Parliamentarians Friendship League
Mr. Toshiro Nikai, Minister of Economic, Trade and Industry,
Honorable Former Prime Ministers,
Honorable Former Foreign Ministers,
Their Excellencies Former Ambassadors of Nepal to Japan,
Distinguished Guests from the Government, Military, Business Circle and Media,
Friends from Nepal-Japan Friendship Associations,
Distinguished Guests,
Ambassador Mr. Hiraoka delivering a speech
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On today's date in 1956, Notes agreeing to establish diplomatic relations between Japan and Nepal at Ambassadorial level were exchanged in New Delhi between H.E. Mr. Seijiro Yoshizawa, Ambassador of Japan to India and Mr. Bharat Raj Rajbhandari, Charge d'Affaires a.i. of Nepal to India. Respective Ambassadors in New Delhi, Their Excellencies Mr. Seijiro Yoshizawa and Mr. Daman Shumsher Rana, were accredited to each other's country as Ambassadors, pending the appointment of residential Ambassadors.
Later, Nepalese Embassy was established in Tokyo in 1965 and H. E. Mr. Bharat Raj Rajbhandari was appointed as Ambassador of Nepal to Japan. Similarly, Japanese Embassy was established in Kathmandu in February 1968 and H.E. Mr. Hidemichi Kira assumed his office as the first residential Ambassador of Japan to Nepal.
However, I must point out that the history of our friendly and cordial relations stretches back over a century. Since long before the establishment of diplomatic relations, in 1899, Rev. Ekai Kawaguchi, the first recorded Japanese visitor to Nepal, entered this Himalayan nation on his way to Tibet in search of holy Buddhist scriptures. At that time, Rev. Kawaguchi wrote a long letter to Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher Rana which is still well preserved in the Madan Pustakalaya.
In the letter, he propounded the unity of Asia and Pan-Asianism and described Nepal as the birthplace of Lord Gautam Buddha, who spread the precious teaching of "Enlightenment and Moderation." Rev. Ekai Kawaguchi who was accorded great hospitality by Nepal, believed that Nepal deserved the opportunity to benefit from Japanese science and technology, and offered several suggestions for the development of the country, in the areas of education, political and financial administration, industrial development and the building of socio-economic infrastructure. Rev. Kawaguchi was thus the first Japanese to consider the possibility of extending Japanese cooperation in the development of Nepal.
Three years later, in 1902, the Government of Nepal sent eight promising young students to Japan to study various courses in Engineering and Technology. They returned to Nepal in 1905 and rendered useful and important services in the development of Nepal.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Relations between Japan and Nepal have always remained very cordial and friendly and are becoming closer year after year as the government and the people of both countries are eager to further develop this relations for mutual benefits as well as for peace and prosperity in the region. Both of our countries share the value of democracy, fundamental Human Rights, peace and prosperity. There exist thick layers of exchanges between our two people.
Our bilateral relationship has been further deepened by the exchanges of high level visits. Right Honorable Prime Minister Mr. Girija Prasad Koirala paid an official working visit to Japan in 1998 as the first democratically elected Prime Minister of Nepal. Similarly, in the year 2000, H. E. Mr. Yoshiro Mori visited this beautiful country as the first Japanese Prime Minister to visit Nepal. Also Honorable Mr. Sher Bahadur Deuba, former Prime Minister and Honorable Mr. Madhav Kumar Nepal, former Deputy Prime Minister have visited Japan on the invitation of the Government of Japan. There has been frequent exchange of visits by Imperial Families of Japan and Royal Families of Nepal, both Their Majesties and Their Highness the Crown Prince have paid visit to each other's country. Also I should mention that there are many dignitaries in today's function who have paid visit to Japan with fruitful results.
Japan, being a close friend and reliable development partner, has been continuously extending economic and technical cooperation for the upliftment of socio-economic development of Nepal covering the field of health, education, energy, transport, drinking water, environmental conservation as well as other fields requiring development. Japan's economic assistance to Nepal began with the acceptance of several Nepali trainees under the Colombo Plan in 1954. Since then, it has continuously expanded. Until Japan's Fiscal Year 2004, the Government of Japan has provided a total assistance of 281 billion yen to Nepal which consists of grants 165 billion yen, technical cooperation 51 billion yen and loans 64 billion yen.
In recent years, a large number of Nepalese students have been receiving opportunities of higher education in Japan under government and non-government scholarship programs. Many youths, students and scholars also have been visiting Japan through various academic exchange programs.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
To celebrate the 50th anniversary, various programs are presented throughout the year with recognition that 50 years of friendship is indeed an epoch-making achievement and with determination to build a new chapter of friendship for another 50 years and beyond. The Golden Jubilee Celebration programs organized include exhibitions, concerts, opera evening, symposium, film festival, book launching to name a few.
Today's ceremony is the centre piece of these series of celebrations. As 50 years ago today, on September first, Notes agreeing to establish diplomatic relations were signed with determination to develop friendship between our two countries. It has been well preserved and today we enjoy unblemished friendship. It is my hope to work together with people of both countries to make ties and friendship between Japan and Nepal ever more stronger and pass it on to future generations.
Today, at the later part of the ceremony, you can enjoy the traditional Japanese music, Koto, Shakuhachi and Sho. Famous Nepalese Musicians will be performing together. The Japanese artists have come here all the way from Japan to perform their music to celebrate this happy occasion of the golden jubilee with the people of Nepal.
Last, but not the least, I wish to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to all the guests as well as those who could not come today for continued cooperation and contribution in strengthening friendship and ties between our two countries. I wish the friendship and cooperative relations that so happily exist between Japan and Nepal will grow ever more in the many many years to come.
Long live Japan-Nepal friendship.
Thank you.