Visit focused on strengthening Nepal-Japan relations: Prachanda

Kathmandu: Chair of CPN (Maoist Center) Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said that his visit to Japan was focused on strengthening Nepal-Japan relations.

Dahal, who is on a five-day visit to Japan starting today, said in a conversation with Nepali journalists at Narita International Airport that he will discuss Nepal-Japan relations with the leaders of the political parties in Japan. “High-level visit creates a positive atmosphere to further progress relations between the two countries, to expand economic and other areas of cooperation”, he said while pointing out that Japan has been one of the major donor countries in the development of Nepal .

On the occasion, he also expressed regret over not being able to meet former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in person during the visit. “My desire to take Nepal-Japan relations to a new height by meeting Abe was not fulfilled,” he said. Former Japanese Prime Minister Awe was shot and killed during an election rally in June earlier this year. While in Japan, Dahal said he would study what the Nepali government needs to do for the Nepalis in the country. For the development of Nepal, the experience, knowledge and resources of Nepalis scattered all over the world should be utilized, he said and noted that a new process of development has started in Nepal. Informing that after the passage of the Citizenship Act by Parliament arrangements have been made for non-resident Nepalis to exercise various rights in Nepal barring political rights.

Nepali Ambassador to Japan Durga Bahadur Subedi welcomed Chair Dahal at Narita International Airport. He left Kathmandu for Japan on Friday night to attend an event at the invitation of Nepali People’s Progressive Forum Japan, Leader Dahal is scheduled to inaugurate the Nepal Festival ceremony to be held in Fakuoka, Japan today.

He will visit Hiroshima on Sunday, according to his secretariat. He will also take part in an interaction on ‘Concerns of Migrant Nepalis in the Economic Revolution, the Foundation for a Prosperous Nepal’ organized by the Nepali People’s Progressive Forum Japan on Sunday in Tokyo.

During his stay in Japan, Dahal is scheduled to meet with the leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, according to his secretariat. —