KATHMANDU, Feb 1: President Ramchandra Paudel is set to leave for an official visit to Japan on Sunday (today), with the trip scheduled to conclude on February 4, 2026.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Paudel will travel to Japan at the invitation of the Japanese government to mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Japan. He will lead a Nepali delegation during the visit.
Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai said President Paudel will depart for Japan on Sunday at 11:30 pm on Nepal Airlines flight No. 433. After completing the visit, he is scheduled to return home on February 4, 2026, at 4:30 pm on the same airline’s flight No. 434.
On February 2, 2026, President Paudel will attend a special reception hosted by the Japanese government in connection with the 70th anniversary of Nepal–Japan diplomatic relations.
On February 3, 2026, he is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Japan’s Emperor Naruhito at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Foreign Secretary Rai said. On the same day, President Paudel will hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. He will also meet Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Iwao Horii, during the visit.
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The ministry said the president will also take part in a meeting with the Japanese business community and attend a reception organized by the Nepali Embassy in Japan. President Paudel will be accompanied by First Lady Sabita Paudel and senior government officials.
Nepal–Japan relations
Nepal–Japan relations are believed to date back to the late 18th century. The ties became formal with the establishment of diplomatic relations on September 1, 1956, and have since been marked by friendship, goodwill, and cooperation. Following the establishment of diplomatic ties, Nepal opened its embassy in Tokyo in 1965, while Japan opened its embassy in Kathmandu in 1967. Nepal also has an honorary consulate in Osaka.
Historical links
Japanese Buddhist monk Rev. Ekai Kawaguchi traveled to Nepal via Tibet in 1899 in search of sacred Buddhist scriptures. Historians note that he introduced Nepal to Japan and highlighted the importance of Lumbini to the Japanese public through his writings and publications.
During the Rana period, eight Nepali students went to Japan for higher education in 1902, a move that helped bring Nepalis closer to Japanese culture and technology.
Exchange of visits
High-level exchanges between Nepal and Japan have contributed to strengthening bilateral ties, with regular visits taking place in recent years.
At the invitation of Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, then Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali paid an official visit to Japan starting November 1, 2018. Similarly, then Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Bhanubhakta Dhakal visited Japan from October 8 to 12, 2018, to attend the 57th session of the Asian–African Legal Consultative Organization.
Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari visited Japan from October 20 to 22, 2019, to attend the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito in Tokyo.
Likewise, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono visited Nepal on January 9 and 10, 2019. At the invitation of then Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Narayankaji Shrestha, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa paid an official visit to Nepal on May 5, 2024.
Development cooperation
Japan has been contributing to Nepal’s socio-economic development since 1954. It has been providing bilateral grants, loans, multilateral assistance, and technical support to Nepal, along with concessional loans for infrastructure development.
Japan’s main areas of support include human resource development, health, agriculture, infrastructure, environmental protection, and culture. Priority has been given to improving basic infrastructure such as power generation, roads, bridges, drinking water facilities, and telecommunications.
The Sindhuli Road is one of the major projects supported by Japanese development assistance. Japan has also provided loan support to projects including the Kulekhani I and II hydropower stations, the Kaligandaki A hydropower station, the Udayapur Cement Industry, and the Melamchi Drinking Water Project.
Projects currently under implementation through concessional loan schemes include the Nagdhunga Tunnel Road, the Drinking Water Supply Improvement Project, and the Chobhar intersection improvement project.
Since Japan joined the Colombo Plan in 1954, the Japanese government has been providing technical training to Nepali students. Under the volunteer program of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers and senior volunteers have also been deployed in Nepal. This program began in 1970.
