Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba Concludes Fruitful Five-Day Visit to Japan, Strengthens Bilateral Ties

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba has termed her recent five-day official visit to Japan as "fruitful," highlighting its success in deepening Nepal-Japan relations and expanding cooperation in various development sectors.

Upon her return to Kathmandu on Thursday night, Dr. Rana shared with the media that the visit facilitated meaningful engagements with senior Japanese officials and strengthened mutual understanding between the two nations.

During her stay, Dr. Rana held a significant bilateral meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister IWAYA Takeshi, where the two leaders discussed key areas of bilateral relations, development cooperation, and common global concerns. Dr. Rana expressed her gratitude for Japan's longstanding support in Nepal’s development journey and emphasized the importance of continuing and enhancing such cooperation.

“We discussed a range of issues concerning Nepal-Japan relations, including current collaboration and future projects. The visit also offered an opportunity to understand Japan’s policies and welfare systems for senior citizens, which can guide Nepal’s own social initiatives,” Dr. Rana stated.

As part of the visit, Dr. Rana met with the President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Dr. Tanaka Akihiko, on May 23. The discussions focused on the timely implementation and completion of ongoing JICA-funded projects in Nepal. She acknowledged Japan's significant contributions to Nepal’s economic and social development through agencies like JICA.

Additionally, Dr. Rana addressed an international conference on senior citizens in Tokyo, where she shared Nepal’s experiences, achievements, and ongoing challenges in developing effective policies for senior citizens.

The visit also followed a recent meeting in Kathmandu during the “Sagarmatha Sambad” dialogue, where Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, IKUINA Akiko, paid a courtesy call on Dr. Rana. She thanked Akiko for her active participation and support during the high-level dialogue.

Dr. Rana was welcomed at Tribhuvan International Airport by senior officials, including the Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amrit Bahadur Rai.

Foreign Minister Dr. Rana had departed for Japan on Monday as part of Nepal's continued diplomatic engagement with development partners and regional allies.