KATHMANDU, Nov 3: Former Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey has been named as one of the foreign recipients of the 2020 Autumn Imperial Decorations.
Former Minister Pandey, who is also a celebrated author of popular books Kutniti Ra Rajniti i.e Diplomacy and Politics and Kranti Ra Pratikranti i.e Revolution and Counter-Revolution, will receive the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun for his contribution towards strengthening the relationship between Japan and Nepal, according to the Embassy of Japan in Kathmandu.
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In his stint as Minister for Tourism, Pandey patronized the Japan-Nepal-China trilateral expedition of Mt. Everest in 1986. He also issued a stamp of Ekai Kawaguchi, a Japanese monk who was the first Japanese visitor to Nepal, when he was Minister of Information and Communications in 2002.
According to a statement issued by the Embassy of Japan in Kathmandu, Pandey as then foreign minister visited Japan with Crown Prince Paras and Crown Princess Himani in 2005 to open the Nepal Pavilion in the Aichi Expo '05. "He had at that time close personal relations with the former Prime Minister of Japan Ryutaro Hashimoto. They cooperated with each other to help organize the 50 year anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2006," read the press statement.
Japanese Decorations are conferred upon foreigners twice a year, on April 29 and November 3, concurrently with the conferment of decorations and medals on Japanese nationals. The Order of the Rising Sun is bestowed upon individuals of merit in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the nation or public.
This award is also conferred upon foreign nationals who have made notable contributions to the promotion of relations between Japan and other countries in areas such as politics and diplomacy, research and education, medicine and social welfare, economy and industry, and culture and sports.
