KATHMANDU, May 23: In a heartfelt tribute to a mountaineering icon, the Embassy of Japan in Nepal hosted a commemorative event at the official residence of Ambassador Maeda Toru on Friday to honor the legacy of the late Junko Tabei, the first woman to summit Mt. Everest. The event marked the 50th anniversary of her groundbreaking ascent, achieved on May 16, 1975.
Ambassador Maeda, reflecting on Tabei’s trailblazing achievement, highlighted its enduring significance and the spirit of collaboration that made it possible. “The achievements of Japanese mountaineering teams, including Tabei, have always been supported by our good friends in Nepal,” he said. He emphasized that the strong Japan-Nepal relationship has long been grounded in grassroots exchanges and mutual respect, particularly among mountaineers and others inspired by Nepal’s majestic natural landscape.
50 years since first woman scaled Everest
The event brought together individuals who shared personal ties with Tabei’s historic expedition. Among them was Ang Tshering Sherpa, former president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) and a Sherpa leader who supported Tabei during her climb. He shared a touching anecdote about the moment they reached the summit together, evoking a vivid sense of determination, solidarity, and triumph at the top of the world.
Also present was Lakhphuti Sherpa, Chairperson of the Nepal Museum Association and deputy team leader of the First Nepalese Women’s Expedition to Everest in the spring of 1993 alongside Pasang Lhamu Sherpa.
The occasion also served as a reminder of the profound and enduring mountaineering ties between Japan and Nepal. Ambassador Maeda took the opportunity to recall several historic May milestones achieved by Japanese climbers. On May 9, 1956, Toshio Imanishi became the first person to summit Mt. Manaslu. On May 11, 1970, Naomi Uemura became the first Japanese climber to conquer Mt. Everest. On May 19, 2012, Tamae Watanabe made history as the oldest woman to reach Everest’s summit at the age of 73, breaking her own previous record set at 63. Just days later, on May 23, 2013, Yuichiro Miura became the oldest man to summit Everest at the age of 80. Another landmark achievement came on May 26, 2012, when Hirotaka Takeuchi became the first Japanese climber to scale all 14 of the world’s peaks above 8,000 meters.
To further celebrate Tabei’s extraordinary life, a film based on her story is set to be released in Japan this autumn, according to Embassy of Japan in Nepal.
