"The World and Japan" Database (Project Leader: TANAKA Akihiko)
Database of Japanese Politics and International Relations
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS); Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (IASA), The University of Tokyo

[Title] Message from H. E. Mr. Junichiro Koizumi Prime Minister of Japan on the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and Nepal

[Place]
[Date] September 01, 2006
[Source] Embassy of Japan in Nepal
[Notes]
[Full text]

It gives me great pleasure to extend, on behalf of the Government and people of Japan, my heartfelt felicitations on the auspicious occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Japan and Nepal.

Japan and Nepal have nurtured the spirit of friendship and cooperation for the past half century. This friendship and cooperation between the two countries exists in various fields including politics, economy and culture, and human exchanges have become active not only on governmental level but also on people-to-people level.

The Government of Japan dispatched Mr. Yasuhisa Shiozaki, Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, to Nepal in July 2006. The purpose of the envoy was to express Japan's support to the Government of Nepal in its efforts to push forward the peace process in order to consolidate democracy and realize permanent peace, as a result of people's movement toward democracy in April 2006. I would like to pay tribute to people's zeal for democracy, and to support the efforts of the Government of Nepal aimed at bringing about permanent peace and prosperity to Nepal as early as possible.

Nepal is well known to Japanese people for its beautiful mountains. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the first Japanese expedition to reach the peak of Mt. Manaslu. The late Mr. Ryutaro Hashimoto, former Prime Minister of Japan, also truly loved the beautiful mountains in Nepal. This spring, many Japanese and Nepalese people performed "the Manaslu-Fuji cleanup expedition", and made a great contribution to protecting the beautiful nature of the two countries. I firmly believe that such a joint work at the grass-roots level will make the future of Japan and Nepal more delightful.

It is my strong belief that the close and cordial relations between the two nations will be further promoted on the auspicious occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Japan and Nepal.